Anthracycline-based antibody drug conjugates having high in vivo tolerability

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to antibody drug conjugates (ADCs) presenting improved properties of in vivo tolerability.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of International Patent Application No. PCT/EP2018/071389, filed Aug. 7, 2018, which claims the benefit of European Patent Application No. 17185107.4, filed Aug. 7, 2017, the entire disclosures of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference.

SEQUENCE LISTING

The instant application contains a Sequence Listing which has been submitted electronically in ASCII format and is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. Said ASCII copy, created on Aug. 27, 2019, is named 614805-NBE9-010PCCON_SL.txt and is 43,671 bytes in size.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to antibody drug conjugates carrying potent drugs and presenting improved properties in vivo and particularly improved tolerability in vivo.

BACKGROUND

Covalent conjugates of small molecular weight toxins (toxic “small molecules”, MW<2,500 Daltons) to binding proteins, in particular to antibodies specific for tumor cells, are powerful tools to specifically target cancer cells for their destruction. Such antibody drug conjugates (ADCs) are of high medical and commercial interest for the therapy of cancer. In order to develop effective and safe ADCs for cancer therapy, several aspects need to be addressed: first, the antibody needs to be specific for a given tumor specific antigen (TSA), which should hardly or ideally not be expressed by normal or healthy tissue cells. Second, the covalent bond, or linkage, between the drug and the antibody/binding protein needs to be stable enough in circulation to prevent undesired release of the toxic payload in the blood stream while also effectively releasing the drug upon binding to and/or internalization into cancer cells. Third, the ADC has to be internalized in substantive quantities. Fourth, the toxic payload has to be released from the antibody and enter the appropriate cellular compartment to exert its toxicity. Fifth, the toxic payload has to be of high enough toxicity, or potency, in order to cause destruction of cancer cells, even if potentially limited amounts of the TSA are expressed on the cancer cells and therefore only limited amounts of the ADC are internalized, or if release of the toxic payload is not undertaken with high enough efficiency upon binding to the cancer cells, or upon internalization into the cancer cell.

However, equally, ADC's must also avoid inducement of side effects, generally mediated through (a) on-target binding in non-target tissues due to expression of the TSA on healthy cells, (b) off-target binding, due to binding of antigens besides the intended TSA, and/or (c) general toxicity, which may be caused by premature drug payload release in the bloodstream, released payload from lysed target cells or released metabolites.

These multiple constraints on ADC development make this type of therapeutic among the most challenging to bring through clinical evaluation. Moreover, because of the high costs of making and testing such biologic-based products, the skilled person is not at liberty to systematically test all possible variants and combinations of antibodies, linkers and toxins, as well as the particular conjugation site(s) and ratio of toxin to antibody.

Indeed, the literature reports on a multitude of possible toxin payloads and linkers (see for example Jain et al., 2015), and moreover, on a multitude of possible conjugation sites and conjugation methods.

In “Location Matters: Site of Conjugation Modulates Stability and Pharmacokinetics of Antibody Drug Conjugates” (Strop et al., Chemistry & Biology, 20, 2013), the authors report on ADCs conjugated by microbial transglutaminases. MMAD toxins conjugated to their antibody heavy and light chain C-termini presented similar efficacies both in vivo and in vitro. Doses of 10 and 25 mg/kg of ADC were equally well tolerated in rats.

The Applicant has surprisingly found that ADCs bearing anthracycline toxins bound at one or more specific sites, namely exclusively on the C-termini of one or both antibody (or antibody derivative) light chains, are not only therapeutically effective but, remarkably, are more highly tolerated in vivo than comparable ADCs with anthracycline toxins bound at alternative sites, i.e., on the C-termini of one or both antibody heavy chains or on a combination of the C-termini of the antibody heavy and light chains Such a teaching is nowhere found in WO 2016/150564 (the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference), which refers to toxins in the same class but only to their attachment to a combination of the C-termini of the antibody heavy and light chains.

Teachings referring to means of toxin attachment of antibody C-termini, namely in WO 2014/140317 (the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference), also make no reference to preferential attachment of anthracycline toxins to the light-chain C-termini.

It is hence an object of the present invention to provide an antibody drug conjugate (ADC) that presents improved properties in vivo, and in particular is highly tolerated in vivo. In particular, it is an object of the present invention to provide an antibody drug conjugate that is better tolerated in vivo than its counterpart comprising the same number of the same toxins but attached to alternative C-termini.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a pharmaceutical composition comprising such an antibody drug conjugate.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a method of making such an antibody drug conjugate.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an antibody drug conjugate for use in the treatment of a subject that is suffering from, at risk of developing, and/or diagnosed with a neoplastic disease.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an antibody drug conjugate for use in the treatment of a subject that is suffering from, at risk of developing, and/or diagnosed with an immune disease or disorder.

These and further objects are met with methods and means according to the independent claims of the present invention. The dependent claims are related to specific embodiments.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides antibody drug conjugates presenting improved properties in vivo including improved properties of in vivo tolerability. The invention and general advantages of its features will be discussed in detail below.

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 depicts a general anthracycline-comprising ADC as per the invention, wherein Ab refers to an antibody or fragment or derivative joined at one or both of its constant region light chain C-termini to the linker comprising a peptidic sequence, leading to the anthracycline molecule toxin.

FIG. 2 depicts a preferred embodiment of the anthracycline molecule-comprising ADC as per the invention wherein:

-   -   the anthracycline molecule corresponds to a PNU derivative of         formula (i)     -   L₁ is an optional linker, which may be a cleavable linker     -   m is greater than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to 11,         and preferably m is 2     -   n is greater than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to 21,         and preferably n is 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5     -   the Sortase Recognition Sequence here represents the product         (e.g. LPXT) of specific cleavage of a sortase enzyme recognition         motif (e.g. LPXTG) (depicted in C- to N-terminal orientation on         the Figure), where X is any amino acid     -   the Spacer Sequence is optional (depicted in C- to N-terminal         orientation on the Figure)     -   Ab is an antibody joined at one or both of its constant region         light chain C-termini to the Spacer Sequence (if present), or to         the Sortase Recognition Sequence (if the Spacer Sequence is         absent).

FIG. 3 (A) depicts a pentaglycine-modified PNU derivative (G5-PNU), (B) a triglycine-modified PNU derivative (G3-PNU) and (C) a diglycine-modified PNU derivative (G2-PNU), as used in the Examples.

FIG. 4 shows the dose-response curve of the in vitro cell killing assays on (A) SKBR3 (HER2-positive human breast cancer) and (B) Karpas-299 (HER2-negative human T cell lymphoma) cell lines with the following ADCs: Tras-HC-PNU (a HER2-targeting ADC comprising an anthracycline molecule linked to both of its heavy chain C-termini), and Tras-LC-PNU (a HER2-targeting ADC comprising an anthracycline molecule linked to both of its light chain C-termini). ADCs comprising anthracycline payloads exclusively on the heavy chain or exclusively on the light chain present comparable in vitro efficacy that is antigen mediated.

FIG. 5 shows the dose-response curve of the in vitro cell killing assays on the SKOV3 (HER2-positive human ovarian cancer) cell line with the following ADCs: Tras-HC-PNU (a HER2-targeting ADC comprising an anthracycline molecule linked to both of its heavy chain C-termini), and Tras-LC-PNU (a HER2-targeting ADC comprising an anthracycline molecule linked to both of its light chain C-termin), Ac10-HC-PNU (a CD30-targeting ADC comprising an anthracycline molecule linked to both of its heavy chain C-termini), and Ac10-LC-PNU (a CD30-targeting ADC comprising an anthracycline molecule linked to both of its light chain C-termini). ADCs comprising anthracycline payloads exclusively on the heavy chain or exclusively on the light chain present comparable in vitro efficacy that is antigen mediated.

FIG. 6 shows the serum concentration of the ADC IgG and anthracycline toxin over time in female CD1 mice treated with (A) hu4-2-17-PNU (a ROR1-targeting ADC with anthracycline payloads linked to both heavy and light chain C-termini), (B) hu4-2-17-HC-PNU (a ROR1-targeting ADC with anthracycline payloads linked to its heavy chain C-termini), or (C) hu4-2-17-LC-PNU (a ROR1-targeting ADC with anthracycline payloads linked to its light chain C-termini). [Would you conclude that the LC-PNU stays longer in circulation?]

FIG. 7 shows the FACS analysis of expression of human ROR1 on engineered mouse EMT-6 breast cancer cells. EMT-6-ROR1 clone 14 selected for in vivo studies was analyzed by FACS staining for ROR1 expression with a fluorescently labeled anti-ROR1 antibody clone 2A2. The negative control shows staining of the same cells with a fluorescently labeled isotype-matched control antibody.

FIG. 8 shows the dose-response curve of the in vitro cell killing assays on (A) the ROR1-overexpressing EMT6 clone 14 cells and (B) CS1-positive L363 (human plasma cell leukemia) cells with the following ADCs: huERCS-409-LC-PNU (a CS1-targeting ADC comprising G3-PNU linked to its light chain C-termini), huERCS-409-HC-PNU (a CS1-targeting ADC comprising G3-PNU linked to its heavy chain C-termini), huERCS-409-LC-PNU (a CS1-targeting ADC comprising G2-PNU linked to its light chain C-termini), huERCS-409-HC-PNU (a CS1-targeting ADC comprising G2-PNU linked to its heavy chain C-termini), hu4-2-17-LC-PNU (a ROR1-targeting ADC comprising G3-PNU linked to its light chain C-termini), hu4-2-17-HC-PNU (a ROR1-targeting ADC comprising G3-PNU linked to its heavy chain C-termini), hu4-2-17-LC-PNU (a ROR1-targeting ADC comprising G2-PNU linked to its light chain C-termini), and hu4-2-17-HC-PNU (a ROR1-targeting ADC comprising G2-PNU linked to its heavy chain C-termini). These results show that ADCs comprising anthracycline payloads exclusively on the heavy chain or exclusively on the light chain present comparable in vitro efficacy that is antigen-mediated.

FIG. 9 shows evolution of ROR1-overexpressing EMT-6 (clone 14) tumor volume (by caliper; average per group with error bars corresponding to the standard error of the mean) of BALB/c female mice implanted orthotopically with tumor cells and treated with: vehicle control, 0.5 mg/kg of an isotype control ADC (a CD30-targeting ADC comprising an anthracycline molecule linked to both of its heavy chain C-termini); 0.5 mg/kg of hu4-2-17-PNU (a ROR1-targeting ADC with anthracycline payloads linked to both heavy and light chain C-termini), 1.0 mg/kg of hu4-2-17-HC-PNU (a ROR1-targeting ADC with anthracycline payloads linked to its heavy chain C-termini), and 1.0 mg/kg of hu4-2-17-LC-PNU (a ROR1-targeting ADC with anthracycline payloads on its light chain C-termini). At equal toxin load, the ROR1-targeting ADCs with toxins at only the heavy or only the light chain C-termini present superior in vivo efficacy relative to a ROR1-targeting ADCs with toxins both the heavy and light chain C-termini. ROR1-targeting ADCs with toxins at only the heavy or only the light chain C-termini present essentially equal in vivo efficacies.

DEFINITIONS

Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by those of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains. In addition, the following definitions are provided to assist the reader in the practice of the invention.

The term “antibody” refers to polypeptide chain(s) which exhibit a strong monovalent, bivalent or polyvalent binding to a given antigen, epitope or epitopes. Unless otherwise noted, antibodies can be generated using any suitable technology, e.g., hybridoma technology, ribosome display, phage display, gene shuffling libraries, semi-synthetic or fully synthetic libraries or combinations thereof. Antibodies of the invention are intact antibodies (e.g., IgG1 antibodies exemplified herein). Unless otherwise specified herein, all peptide sequences, including all antibody and antigen-binding fragment sequences are referred to in N→C order.

An intact antibody typically comprises at least two heavy (H) chains (about 45-70 kD) and two light (L) chains (about 20-25 kD) inter-connected by disulfide bonds. The recognized immunoglobulin genes encoding antibody chains include the kappa, lambda, alpha, gamma, delta, epsilon, and mu constant region genes, as well as the myriad immunoglobulin variable region genes. Light chains are classified as either kappa or lambda. Heavy chains are classified as gamma, mu, alpha, delta, or epsilon, which in turn define the immunoglobulin classes, IgG, IgM, IgA, IgD and IgE, respectively. Each heavy chain of an antibody is comprised of a heavy chain variable region (V_(H)) and a heavy chain constant region. In the case of IgG, the heavy chain constant region is comprised of three domains, C_(H1), C_(H2) and C_(H3). Each light chain is comprised of a light chain variable region (V_(L)) and a light chain constant region. The light chain constant region is comprised of one domain, C_(L). The variable regions of the heavy and light chains contain a binding domain that interacts with an antigen. The constant regions of the antibodies mediate the binding of the immunoglobulin to host tissues or factors, including various cells of the immune system expressing Fc receptors and the first component (C1q) of the classical complement system. Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) consist of identical (with respect to their encoded amino acid sequences) antibody molecules.

The V_(H) and V_(L) regions of an antibody can be further subdivided into regions of hypervariability, also termed complementarity-determining regions (CDRs), which are interspersed with the more conserved framework regions (FRs). Each V_(H) and V_(L) is composed of three CDRs and four FRs, arranged from amino-terminus to carboxyl-terminus in the following order: FR1, CDR1, FR2, CDR2, FR3, CDR3, FR4. The locations of CDR and FR regions and a numbering system have been defined, e.g., the IMGT system and the Kabat system.

Furthermore, the antibody can be of any isotype including without limitation IgA, IgD, IgE, IgG, or IgM. Thus, for example, the antibody can be any IgA such as IgA1 or IgA2, or any IgG such as IgG1, IgG2, IgG3, IgG4, or synthetic IgG.

Furthermore, the antibody can be contained in a derivative format (“antibody derivative”) such as the dual variable domain immunoglobulin (DVD-Ig) format and single-chain variable fragment (scFv) fusions with IgA, IgD, IgE, IgG, or IgM. A single-chain variable region fragment (scFv) is a single-chain antibody, i.e., it is a polypeptide comprising a V_(H) domain and a V_(L) domain in polypeptide linkage, generally linked via a spacer peptide. scFv fusions be to the N- or C-terminus of the heavy chain, or to the N-terminus of the light chain. The DVD-Ig format consists of an Ig shaped antibody wherein each V_(L)/V_(H) pair carries, N-terminally, another V_(L)/V_(H) pair. The two V_(L)/V_(H) pairs have the same or different antigen binding specificity. Also, the antibody can be present in a fragment of the typical antibody format, like F(ab), F(ab′)2 or single chain FV (scFv). For the avoidance of doubt, both the terms antibody derivative and antibody fragment refer to embodiments that retain target binding capacity, i.e., exclude embodiments that are no longer capable of binding a target.

The terms “chimeric antibody” refer to antibody that contains antigen-binding regions (V_(H) and V_(L)) targeting an antigen from one species, and a constant region corresponding to the immunoglobulin sequence of another species.

A “non-human antibody” refers to an antibody that does not contain a constant region corresponding to a human immunoglobulin sequence.

The terms “humanized antibody” refer to a chimeric antibody that contains sequences derived from human and non-human (e.g., rabbit) immunoglobulins such that some or all (for example, maintaining only the non-human CDR3 sequences of the light and heavy chains as in Rader C. et al., 1998), or substantially all of the CDR regions are of non-human origin, while substantially all of the FR regions correspond to those of a human immunoglobulin sequence.

The antibody or fragment or derivative described herein can be produced by enzymatic or chemical modification of the intact antibodies, or synthesized de novo using recombinant DNA methodologies, or identified using phage display libraries. Methods for generating these antibodies or antibody derivatives are well known in the art.

The antibody or fragment or derivative of the invention can be produced by any suitable technique, for example, using any suitable eukaryotic or non-eukaryotic expression or cell-free system. In certain embodiments, the antibody or fragment or derivative is produced using a mammalian expression system. In certain embodiments, the antibody or fragment or derivative is produced using an insect expression system.

“Therapeutically active compounds” refer, in the present invention, to compounds providing a therapeutically beneficial effect, and include, in particular, antibody drug conjugates. Therapeutically active compounds are often formulated as a composition, e.g., are formulated in a physiologically-acceptable buffer.

“Tolerability” refers to the degree to which adverse effects of an administered composition (comprising or consisting of a therapeutically active compound) can be tolerated by a human or other animal, e.g., by a mouse, rat, rabbit, monkey, etc., or by a group of humans or other animals. In one embodiment, tolerability can be determined relative to the rate of mortality.

“Adverse effects or events” are undesirable effects or events resulting from administration of a therapeutically active compound. In particular, adverse effects include weight loss, in particular weight loss in excess of 10%, 15%, or 20% of initial weight on day of treatment with a therapeutically active compound. In particular, adverse effects include death (in animal models, whether naturally occurring or following fulfillment of euthanasia criteria). In particular, adverse effects relating to deaths be assessed in animal models (e.g., groups of mice, rats, etc.) following a single or repeated (constant or escalating) dose of a therapeutically active compound as compared to an alternative therapeutically active compound and/or to a buffer control. In particular, tolerability be assessed in animal models in terms of a maximum tolerated dose, i.e., in terms of number of deaths within groups of animals treated with therapeutically active compound, wherein given groups treated with a given dose of compound over a dose range.

The terms “treat,” “treating,” “treatment,” and “therapeutically effective” used herein do not necessarily imply 100% or complete treatment. Rather, there are varying degrees of treatment recognized by one of ordinary skill in the art as having a potential benefit or therapeutic effect. In this respect, the inventive method can provide any amount of any level of treatment. Furthermore, the treatment provided by the inventive method can include the treatment of one or more conditions or symptoms of the disease being treated.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Before the invention is described in detail, it is to be understood that this invention is not limited to the particular component parts of the devices described or process steps of the methods described as such devices and methods vary. It is also to be understood that the terminology used herein is for purposes of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting. It must be noted that, as used in the specification and the appended claims, the singular forms “a”, “an”, and “the” include singular and/or plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. It is moreover to be understood that, in case parameter ranges are given which are delimited by numeric values, the ranges are deemed to include these limitation values.

It is further to be understood that embodiments disclosed herein are not meant to be understood as individual embodiments which would not relate to one another. Features discussed with one embodiment are meant to be disclosed also in connection with other embodiments shown herein. If, in one case, a specific feature is not disclosed with one embodiment, but with another, the skilled person would understand that does not necessarily mean that said feature is not meant to be disclosed with said other embodiment. The skilled person would understand that it is the gist of this application to disclose said feature also for the other embodiment, but that just for purposes of clarity and to keep the specification in a manageable volume this has not been done.

Furthermore, the content of the prior art documents referred to herein is incorporated by reference. This refers, particularly, for prior art documents that disclose standard or routine methods. In that case, the incorporation by reference has mainly the purpose to provide sufficient enabling disclosure and avoid lengthy repetitions.

Antibody Drug Conjugates (ADCs)

According to a first aspect, the invention refers to an antibody drug conjugate (ADC) comprising

-   -   an antibody, or antibody fragment or derivative retaining target         binding properties, comprising at least one light chain constant         region C-terminus, and     -   an anthracycline-based small molecule,         wherein the anthracycline molecule(s) is/are exclusively linked         to the light chain constant region C-terminus/i of the antibody,         fragment or derivative, and         wherein the anthracycline-based small molecule is linked, via a         linker comprising a peptidic sequence, to said antibody,         fragment or derivative.

The “anthracycline-based small molecule” is also called “anthracycline molecule” herein.

Relative to the ADC of the invention, is intended that no anthracycline molecules are covalently joined to the antibody at sites other than one or both of the antibody or fragment or derivative light chain constant region C-termini.

A visual depiction of the ADC according to the present invention is given in FIG. 1.

Aspects of the Invention Relating to the Antibody

The antibody of the invention can be of any isotype including, without limitation, IgA, IgD, IgE, IgG, or IgM. Thus, for example, the antibody can be any IgA such as IgA1 or IgA2, or any IgG such as IgG1, IgG2, IgG3, IgG4, or synthetic IgG.

Furthermore, the antibody can be contained in derivative formats (“antibody derivative”) such as the dual variable domain immunoglobulin (DVD-Ig) format and single-chain variable fragment (scFv) fusions with IgA, IgD, IgE, IgG, or IgM. In a preferred embodiment, the antibody derivative is of DVD-Ig format.

The antibody or fragment or derivative be a monovalent, a bivalent or multi-valent antibody.

The antibody or fragment or derivative be mono- or multi-specific. The term “multi-specific” means an antibody or fragment or derivative that has specificity for two or more different epitopes of a given antigen, or that has specificity for at least two different antigens.

In a preferred embodiment, the antibody is an IgG antibody.

The antibody or fragment or derivative target (or bind to) any antigen, but preferentially targets an antigen that is tumor specific or that is expressed at a higher rate on tumor tissue than on healthy tissue.

As used herein, “expressed at a higher rate” means expressed at least 10% higher, preferably at least 20% higher, more preferably at least 30% higher, more preferably at least 40% higher, more preferably at least 50% higher, more preferably at least 60% higher, more preferably at least 70% higher, more preferably at least 80% higher, more preferably at least 90% higher, and even more preferably at least 100% higher. The expression rate can be determined with methods from the art known by the skilled person, like RT-PCR, or Immunohistochemistry.

In particular, the antigen be a human antigen. In a preferred embodiment, the antigen is ROR1, ROR2, CS1, mesothelin or HER2, and more preferably ROR1, CS1, or HER2, and even more preferably is ROR1 or HER2. In particular, the antigen may be human ROR1 (based on sequence NP_005003 from GenBank), human ROR2 (based on sequence NP 004551.2 from GenBank), human CS1 (based on sequence NM_021181.3 from GenBank), human mesothelin (based on sequence NP 037536 from GenBank) or human HER2 (based on sequence NP_004439 from GenBank). In one embodiment, the antibody or fragment or derivative does not bind to human and/or mouse CS1, and in this embodiment, preferably the antibody or fragment or derivative does not bind to human CS1.

In a preferred embodiment, the antibody or fragment or derivative comprises the CDRs of the antibodies or antibody derivatives presented in the Examples. In particular, the antibody or fragment or derivative may comprise the CDRs of trastuzumab (based on Kabat numbering using abYsis software):

HC CDR1 HC CDR2 HC CDR3 LC CDR1 LC CDR2 LC CDR3 Trast- DTYIH RIYPTNGYTRYADS WGGDGFYA RASQDVNTA SASFL QQHYTTP uzumab VKG MDY VA YS PT

In particular, the antibody or fragment or derivative may comprise the CDRs of hu4-2-17 (based on Kabat numbering):

HC CDR1 HC CDR2 HC CDR3 LC CDR1 LC CDR2 LC CDR3 hu4- SYYMS AIGISGNAYYASW DHPTYGMD EGNNIGSKAV DDDERP QVWDSSAY 2-17 AKS L H S V

In particular, the antibody or fragment or derivative may comprise the CDRs of huERCS-409 (based on Kabat numbering):

HC CDR1 HC CDR2 HC CDR3 LC CDR1 LC CDR2 LC CDR3 huERCS- SYGVI IIGSSGNTYYAS YYGDSGFD RASQSIGSW GASNLA LGASPNGW 409 SVKG S LS S A

In a preferred embodiment, the antibody or fragment or derivatives contain the variable domains of the antibodies presented in the Examples. In particular, the antibody or fragment or derivative may comprise the variable domains of trastuzumab (variable domains of SEQ ID NO. 1/2 of Table 2). In particular, the antibody or fragment or derivative may comprise the variable domains of hu4-2-17 (variable domains of SEQ ID NO. 4/5 of Table 2). In particular, the antibody or fragment or derivative may comprise the variable domains of huERCS-409 (variable domains of SEQ ID NO. 7/8 of Table 2).

Aspects of the Invention Relating to the Toxin

The ADC of the invention comprises one or two anthracycline-based small molecules (“anthracycline molecule”), wherein each anthracycline molecule is linked, via a linker comprising a peptidic sequence, to said antibody or antibody derivative at the light chain constant region C-terminus.

Anthracyclines are a highly interesting class of DNA intercalating toxins for use as payloads for ADCs because of their proven clinical validation as chemotherapeutic drugs in cancer therapy (Minotti, 2004). Anthracyclines are red-colored polyketides with high anti-tumor activity, originally derived from Streptomyces species. Many derivatives have been described during the last 40 years, including some that are routinely used as chemotherapy drug for various solid and hematological cancers, e.g. doxorubicin (also called adriamycin), daunorubicin, epirubicin, idarubicin, pirarubicin, zorubicin, aclarubicin, caminomycin, and valrubicine. A novel anthracycline derivative, called PNU-159682, was described as a metabolite of nemorubicin (Quintieri, 2005), which has been reported to exhibit extremely high potency for in vitro cell killing in the pico- to femtomolar range with one ovarian (A2780) and one breast cancer (MCF7) cell line (WO2012/073217).

In one embodiment, the ADC of the present invention comprises one anthracycline molecule that is linked, via a linker comprising a peptidic sequence, to said antibody or fragment or derivative at a light chain constant region C-terminus. In one embodiment, the ADC comprises two anthracycline molecules that are each linked, via a linker comprising a peptidic sequence, to said antibody or fragment or derivative at each of the two light chain constant region C-termini.

In one embodiment, at least one anthracycline-based small molecule is not doxorubicin.

In one embodiment, anthracycline-based small molecule is selected from PNU-159682, or from derivatives thereof, comprising the structure of formula (i), or derivatives thereof comprising the structure of formula (i) below. In a preferred embodiment, the toxin, joined to the linker at its wavy line, is of formula (i), as described in WO 2016/102679, which is incorporated herein by reference:

PNU-159682 as described in Quintieri et al. (2005).

The toxin that is not an anthracycline molecule can be a plant, fungal, or bacterial molecule. In some embodiments, the toxin that is not an anthracycline molecule is a small molecule cellular toxin, a peptide toxin, or a protein toxin. Many specific examples of these toxins are well known in the art. See, e.g., Dyba et al., Curr. Pharm. Des. 10:2311-34, 2004; Kuyucak et al., Future Med. Chem. 6:1645-58, 2014; Beraud et al., Inflamm. Allergy Drug Targets. 10:322-42, 2011; and Middlebrook et al., Microbiol. Rev. 48:199-221, 1984. In some embodiments, the toxin that is not an anthracycline molecule can be a maytansinoid (e.g., maytansinol or DM1 maytansinoid), a taxane, a calicheamicin, a cemadotin, a monomethylauristatin (e.g., monomethylauristatin E or monomethylauristatin F), or a pyrrolobenzodiazepine (PBD). The toxin that is not an anthracycline molecule can also be vincristine and prednisone. In various embodiments, toxin that is not an anthracycline molecule can be an antimetabolite (e.g., an antifolate such as methotrexate, a fluoropyrimidine such as 5-fluorouracil, cytosine arabinoside, or an analogue of purine or adenosine); mitomycin-C, dactinomycin, or mithramycin, or other non-anthracycline intercalating agents such as pyrrolobenzodiazepine; a DNA-reactive agent such as calicheamicins, tiancimycins, and other enediynes; a platinum derivative (e.g., cisplatin or carboplatin); an alkylating agent (e.g., nitrogen mustard, melphalan, chlorambucil, busulphan, cyclophosphamide, ifosfamide nitrosoureas or thiotepa); an RNA polymerase inhibitor such as α-amanitin; an antimitotic agent (e.g., a vinca alkaloid such as vincristine, or a taxoid such as paclitaxel or docetaxel); a topoisomerase inhibitor (for example, etoposide, teniposide, amsacrine, topotecan); a cell cycle inhibitor (for example, a flavopyridol); or a microbtubule agent (e.g., an epothilone, a tubulysine, a pre-tubulysine, discodermolide analog, or eleutherobin analog). The toxin that is not an anthracycline molecule can be a proteosome inhibitor, a topoisomerase inhibitor, such as bortezomib, amsacrine, etoposide, etoposide phosphate, teniposide, or doxorubicin, or a radioisotope including iodine (¹³¹I), yttrium (⁹⁰Y), lutetium (¹⁷⁷Lu), actinium (²²⁵Ac), praseodymium, astatine (At), rhenium (Re), bismuth (Bi or Bi), and rhodium (Rh).

The toxin that is not an anthracycline molecule is preferably selected from the group consisting of:

-   -   maytansinoids, including maytansine,     -   auristatins, including monomethyl auristatin MMAE, and         monomethyl auristatin MMAF,     -   calicheamicins,     -   tubulysins     -   duocarmycins     -   radioisotopes     -   liposomes comprising a toxic payload     -   protein toxins     -   taxanes, and/or     -   pyrrolobenzodiazepines.

Additionally, the ADC may comprise a label or dye, notably to allow imaging. This label or dye can be least one selected from the group consisting of: a fluorescent label (including a fluorescent dye or a fluorescent protein), a chromophore label, a radioisotope label containing iodine (e.g., ¹²⁵I), gallium (⁶⁷Ga), indium (¹¹¹I), technetium (^(99m)Tc), phosphorus (³²P), carbon (¹⁴C), tritium (³H), other radioisotope (e.g., a radioactive ion), and/or a protein label such as avidin or streptavidin.

Aspects of the Invention Relating to the Linker

The present invention refers to an antibody drug conjugate (ADC) comprising:

-   -   an antibody, or antibody fragment or derivative retaining target         binding properties, comprising at least one light chain constant         region C-terminus, and     -   an anthracycline-based small molecule,         wherein the anthracycline molecule(s) is/are exclusively linked         to the light chain constant region C-terminus/i of the antibody,         fragment or derivative, and         wherein the anthracycline-based small molecule is linked, via a         linker comprising a peptidic sequence, to said antibody,         fragment or derivative.

In a preferred embodiment, said peptidic sequence of said linker comprises or consists of a peptidic motif resulting from specific cleavage of a sortase enzyme recognition motif, said sortase enzyme recognition motif preferably comprising a pentapeptide.

In a preferred embodiment, said sortase enzyme recognition motif is selected from the group consisting of: -LPXTG-, -LPXAG-, -LPXSG-, -LAXTG-, -LPXTG-, -LPXTA- and -NPQTG-, where X is any amino acid, and preferably X is E or Q.

As disclosed elsewhere herein as well as in WO2014140317, the contents of which is incorporated by reference herein, sortases (also called sortase transpeptidases) form a group of prokaryotic enzymes that modify surface proteins by recognizing and cleaving a specific sorting signal comprising a particular peptide motif. This peptide motif is also called “sortase enzyme recognition motif”, “sortase recognition motif”, “sortase tag” or “sortase recognition tag” herein. Usually, a given sortase enzyme has one or more sortase enzyme recognition motifs that are recognized.

Sortase enzymes can be naturally occurring, or may have undergone genetic engineering (Doerr et al., 2014). Sortase classes and their corresponding recognition sequences are generally discussed in Spirig et al. (2011). Engineered sortases, including A 2A-9 and A 4S-9 from Staphylococcus aureus, are described in Dorr et al. (2014) and in Chen et al. (2011).

As background and to exemplify the general concept of sortase transpeptidation, sortase A, for example, uses an oligo-glycine-stretch as a nucleophile to catalyze a transpeptidation by which the terminal amino group of the oligo-glycine effects a nucleophilic attack on the peptide bond joining the last two C-terminal residues of the sortase recognition sequence. This results in breakage of that peptide bond and the formation of a new peptide bond between the C-terminally second-to-last residue of the sortase tag and the N-terminal glycine of the oligo-glycine peptide, i.e. resulting in a transpeptidation.

The following table shows non-limiting examples of sortase enzyme recognition motifs and the resultant peptidic motifs following specific cleavage, the latter being comprised within the ADC linker (in N to C-terminal orientation):

TABLE 1 Sortase enzyme recognition sequences and peptidic motif resulting from specific cleavage, with X being any amino acid Example sortase Corresponding enzyme peptidic motif recognition resulting from Sortase sequence specific cleavage Sortase of Class A, e.g., LPXTG LPXT Staphylococcus aureus sortase A Staphylococcus aureus sortase LPXSG LPXS A or engineered sortase A 4S-9 from Staphylococcus aureus Streptococcus pyogenes LPXTA LPXT sortase A Sortases of Class B NPQTN NPQT Sortases of Class C LPLTG LPLT Sortases of Class C LAFTG LAFT Sortases of Class D LPNTA LPNT Engineered sortase A 2A-9 from LAXTG LAXT Staphylococcus aureus and sortases of Class E

Prior to sortase conjugation, the sortase enzyme recognition motif may, at its C-terminus, furthermore carry other tags, like His-tags, Myc-tags or Strep-tags (see FIG. 4a of WO2014140317, the content of which is incorporated by reference herein). However, because the peptide bond between the 4th and 5th amino acid of the sortase enzyme recognition motif is cleaved upon sortase-mediated conjugation, these additional tags do not appear in the conjugated product.

Sortase enzyme recognition motifs may be fused the C-terminus/i of the antibody light chain by genetic fusion and are co-expressed therewith. The sortase enzyme recognition motif may be appended to the last naturally occurring C-terminal amino acid of one or both of the immunoglobulin light chains, which in case of the human immunoglobulin kappa light chain is the C-terminal cysteine residue. Said fusion or appendage can be done directly, or indirectly via additional linker elements described elsewhere herein.

We have described previously that in some cases (e.g. at the C-terminus of the Ig kappa light chains, see: Beerli et al. (2015)) it is beneficial to add additional amino acids (herein referred to as a “Spacer Sequence”) between the C-terminus of the binding protein and the sortase enzyme recognition motif. This has been shown to improve sortase enzyme conjugation efficiencies of payloads to the binding protein. In the case of Ig kappa light chains, it was observed that adding 5 amino acids between the last C-terminal cysteine amino acid of the Ig kappa light chain and the sortase recognition sequence improved the kinetics of conjugation (see Beerli et al. (2015)). Therefore, it is another preferred embodiment that optionally ≥1 and ≤11 amino acids (“Spacer Sequence”) are added in between the last C-terminal amino acid of the antibody and the sortase recognition sequence. In a preferred embodiment, a peptidic sequence G_(q)S, where q is preferably 1 to 10, and more preferably 4 or 5, is added in between the last light chain C-terminal amino acid and the sortase enzyme recognition motif.

In a preferred embodiment, said peptidic sequence of said linker comprises or consists of an oligoglycine sequence (“tag”), denoted G_(n) or Gly_(n), where n is from 1 to 21 and preferably n is 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5.

In a preferred embodiment, said peptidic sequence of said linker comprises or consists of a peptidic motif resulting from specific cleavage of a sortase enzyme recognition motif, and an oligoglycine sequence, preferably selected from the group consisting of: -LPXTG_(n)-, -LPXAG_(n)-, -LPXSG_(n)-, -LAXTG_(n)-, -LPXTG_(n)- and -NPQTG_(n)-, where X is any amino acid, and preferably X is E or Q, and where n is from 1 to 21 and preferably n is 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5. In a preferred embodiment, said peptidic sequence of said linker comprises or consists of -LPXTG_(n)- where X is any amino acid, and preferably X is E or Q, and where n is from 1 to 21 and preferably n is 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5.

In one embodiment wherein the anthracycline molecule is of formula (i), it is preferred that the linker additionally comprise an alkyldiamino group of the form NH₂—(CH₂)_(m)—NH₂, where m≥1 and ≤11, preferably m=2. In this embodiment, it is preferred that one amino group of NH₂—(CH₂)_(m)—NH₂ be directly linked at the wavy line of formula (i) to form an amide bond.

In another embodiment where the anthracycline molecule is of formula (i) and the linker additionally comprises an alkyldiamino group of the form NH₂—(CH₂)_(m)—NH₂, where m≥1 and ≤11, preferably m=2, one amino group may be linked to the wavy line of formula (i) via a linker element L1.

It is moreover preferred that the second amino group of said alkyldiamino group is linked to the oligopeptide linker, which is more preferably an oligoglycine (Gly_(n)). Preferably, the oligoglycine has a length of 1 to 21 glycine residues (i.e., n is from 1 to 21), preferably with a length of 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 amino acids.

Visual depictions of certain non-limiting embodiments of the ADCs of the invention are given in FIG. 2.

In another embodiment, the linker may further comprises at least one further cleavable or non cleavable linker, which is preferably selected from the group consisting of: a hydrazine linker, a thiourea linker, a self-immolative linker, a succinimidyl trans-4-(maleimidylmethyl)cyclohexane-1-carboxylate (SMCC) linker, a disulfide linker, a selenoether linker, an amide linker, a thioether linker, and/or a maleimide linker.

The skilled person understands that further linkers may be suitable. Such linkers may be non-cleavable or may be cleaved by changes in pH, redox potential or specific intracellular/extracellular enzymes. Cleavable oligopeptide linkers include protease- or matrix metalloprotease-cleavable linkers. It is understood that the linker may comprise combinations of the above. For example, the linker may be a valine-citruline PAB linker.

Aspects of the Invention Relating to the Drug Antibody Ratio (DAR)

In a preferred embodiment, the ADC of the invention designed for having an anthracycline molecule linked to each light chain constant region C-terminus has a stoichiometric ratio between antibody and payload of any value between ≥1 and ≤2, and preferably of ≥1.75 and ≤2, more preferably ≥1.9 and ≤2. This ratio may also be referred to as the drug to antibody ratio (“DAR”). Methods to determine DAR are well known to the skilled person and include methods using Reverse Phase Chromatography, or HPLC-MS. It is understood that the sortase-mediated transpeptidation reaction is not 100% complete resulting in preparations of ADCs with the described DAR.

In embodiments wherein the ADC comprises additional non-anthracycline toxins, the DAR may be any value between ≥1 and ≤4.

In another preferred embodiment, the ADC of the invention designed for having an anthracycline molecule linked to only one light chain constant region C-terminus has a stoichiometric ratio between antibody and payload of any value between ≥0.5 and ≤1, and preferably of ≥0.75 and ≤1, more preferably ≥0.9 and ≤1.

Aspects of the Invention Relating to the Functional Properties

In one embodiment, the present invention refers to an antibody drug conjugate (ADC) comprising:

-   -   an antibody, or antibody fragment or derivative retaining target         binding properties, comprising at least one light chain constant         region C-terminus, and     -   an anthracycline-based small molecule,         wherein the anthracycline molecule(s) is/are exclusively linked         to the light chain constant region C-terminus/i of the antibody,         fragment or derivative, and         wherein the anthracycline-based small molecule is linked, via a         linker comprising a peptidic sequence, to said antibody,         fragment or derivative,         where said ADC presents improved tolerability in vivo,         preferably relative to comparable ADCs with same number and type         of anthracycline molecule but in which the anthracycline         molecule(s) are linked to the heavy chain constant region         C-terminus or to a mixture of both heavy and light chain         constant region C-termini.

Relative to this embodiment, it is preferred that tolerability is assessed relative to the mortality rate, for a given dose, over a period of 7 to 14 days in a mouse model. Relative to this embodiment, it is preferred that tolerability is assessed using a dose of ADC in the range of 2.5 to 40 mg/kg.

Whereas comparable ADCs showed very similar cell killing activity in vitro, unexpectedly, an ADC with the anthracycline linked exclusively to the light chain of the antibody showed no mortality in vivo at two tested, equivalent dose levels, compared to comparable ADCs with linkage to either exclusively the heavy chain or both heavy and light chain, the lower leading to each 1/5 dead mice, the higher leading to 5/5 dead mice (see Table 5). Similarly, in a separate experiment ADC with the anthracycline linked exclusively at the light chain were tolerated at considerably higher doses compared to ADCs with the toxin linked to only heavy or heavy and light chain. Clearly, higher tolerability as a measure for the amount which can be safely administered to a patient is beneficial for pharmaceuticals.

In one embodiment, the present invention refers to an antibody drug conjugate (ADC) comprising:

-   -   an antibody, or antibody fragment or derivative retaining target         binding properties, comprising at least one light chain constant         region C-terminus, and     -   an anthracycline-based small molecule,         wherein the anthracycline molecule(s) is/are exclusively linked         to the light chain constant region C-terminus/i of the antibody,         fragment or derivative, and         wherein the anthracycline-based small molecule is linked, via a         linker comprising a peptidic sequence, to said antibody,         fragment or derivative,         where said ADC presents a greater therapeutic index in vivo,         relative to comparable ADCs with same number and type of         anthracycline molecule but in which the anthracycline         molecule(s) are linked to the heavy chain constant region         C-terminus or to a mixture of both heavy and light chain         constant region C-termini. The therapeutic index is the         comparison of the amount of a therapeutic agent that causes the         therapeutic effect to the amount that causes toxicity. The         invention has unexpectedly shown that the same amount of toxin         linked to light chain C-termini compared to heavy chain         C-termini at the same dose result in higher efficacy in vivo         (see FIG. 9).

In one embodiment, the present invention refers to an antibody drug conjugate (ADC) comprising:

-   -   an antibody, or antibody fragment or derivative retaining target         binding properties, comprising at least one light chain constant         region C-terminus, and     -   an anthracycline-based small molecule,         wherein the anthracycline molecule(s) is/are exclusively linked         to the light chain constant region C-terminus/i of the antibody,         fragment or derivative, and         wherein the anthracycline-based small molecule is linked, via a         linker comprising a peptidic sequence, to said antibody,         fragment or derivative,         where, for the same therapeutic efficacy, said ADC requires a         decreased dosing frequency and/or a lower dose amount in vivo,         preferably relative to comparable ADCs with same number and type         of anthracycline molecule but in which the anthracycline         molecule(s) are linked to the heavy chain constant region         C-terminus or to a mixture of both heavy and light chain         constant region C-termini.

In one embodiment, the present invention refers to an antibody drug conjugate (ADC) comprising:

-   -   an antibody, or antibody fragment or derivative retaining target         binding properties, comprising at least one light chain constant         region C-terminus, and     -   an anthracycline-based small molecule,         wherein the anthracycline molecule(s) is/are exclusively linked         to the light chain constant region C-terminus/i of the antibody,         fragment or derivative, and         wherein the anthracycline-based small molecule is linked, via a         linker comprising a peptidic sequence, to said antibody,         fragment or derivative,         where said ADC presents a decreased hydrophobicity, preferably         relative to comparable ADCs with same number and type of         anthracycline molecule but in which the anthracycline         molecule(s) are linked to the heavy chain constant region         C-terminus or to a mixture of both heavy and light chain         constant region C-termini Such a decreased hydrophobicity can         improve ADC handling and formulation.         Pharmaceutical Compositions

In some related aspects, the invention provides pharmaceutical compositions that contain a therapeutically effective amount of the antibody drug conjugate described herein and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

The pharmaceutically acceptable carrier can be one or more compatible solid or liquid fillers, diluents, other excipients, or encapsulating substances which are suitable for administration into a human or veterinary subject (e.g., a physiologically acceptable carrier or a pharmacologically acceptable carrier). The term “carrier” denotes an organic or inorganic ingredient, natural or synthetic, with which the active ingredient is combined to facilitate the use of the active ingredient, e.g., the administration of the active ingredient to a subject. The pharmaceutically acceptable carrier can be co-mingled with one or more of the active components, e.g., a hybrid molecule, and with each other, when more than one pharmaceutically acceptable carrier is present in the composition, in a manner so as not to substantially impair the desired pharmaceutical efficacy. Pharmaceutically acceptable materials typically are capable of administration to a subject, e.g., a patient, without the production of significant undesirable physiological effects such as nausea, dizziness, rash, or gastric upset. It is, for example, desirable for a composition comprising a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier not to be immunogenic when administered to a human patient for therapeutic purposes.

Pharmaceutical compositions of the invention can additionally contain suitable buffering agents, including, for example, acetic acid in a salt, citric acid in a salt, boric acid in a salt, and phosphoric acid in a salt. The compositions can also optionally contain suitable preservatives, such as benzalkonium chloride, chlorobutanol, parabens, and thimerosal. Pharmaceutical compositions of the invention can be presented in unit dosage form and can be prepared by any suitable method, many of which are well known in the art of pharmacy. Such methods include the step of bringing the antibody or antigen-binding fragment of the invention into association with a carrier that constitutes one or more accessory ingredients. In general, the composition is prepared by uniformly and intimately bringing the active agent into association with a liquid carrier, a finely divided solid carrier, or both, and then, if necessary, shaping the product.

A composition suitable for parenteral administration conveniently comprises a sterile aqueous preparation of the inventive composition, which preferably is isotonic with the blood of the recipient. This aqueous preparation can be formulated according to known methods using suitable dispersing or wetting agents and suspending agents. The sterile injectable preparation also can be a sterile injectable solution or suspension in a non-toxic parenterally-acceptable diluent or solvent, for example, as a solution in 1,3-butane diol. Among the acceptable vehicles and solvents that can be employed are water, Ringer's solution, and isotonic sodium chloride solution. In addition, sterile, fixed oils are conventionally employed as a solvent or suspending medium. For this purpose, any bland fixed oil can be employed, such as synthetic mono- or di-glycerides. In addition, fatty acids such as oleic acid can be used in the preparation of injectables. Carrier formulations suitable for oral, subcutaneous, intravenous, intramuscular, etc. administrations can be found in Remington's Pharmaceutical Sciences, Mack Publishing Co., Easton, Pa.

Preparation of pharmaceutical compositions of the invention and their various routes of administration can be carried out in accordance with methods well known in the art. The delivery systems useful in the context of the invention include time-released, delayed release, and sustained release delivery systems such that the delivery of the inventive composition occurs prior to, and with sufficient time to cause, sensitization of the site to be treated. The inventive composition can be used in conjunction with other therapeutic agents or therapies. Such systems can avoid repeated administrations of the inventive composition, thereby increasing convenience to the subject and the physician, and may be particularly suitable for certain compositions of the invention.

Many types of release delivery systems are available and known to those of ordinary skill in the art. Suitable release delivery systems include polymer base systems such as poly(lactide-glycolide), copolyoxalates, polycaprolactones, polyesteramides, polyorthoesters, polyhydroxybutyric acid, and polyanhydrides. Microcapsules of the foregoing polymers containing drugs are described in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,075,109. Delivery systems also include non-polymer systems that are lipids including sterols such as cholesterol, cholesterol esters, and fatty acids or neutral fats such as mono-di- and triglycerides; hydrogel release systems; sylastic systems; peptide-based systems; wax coatings; compressed tablets using conventional binders and excipients; partially fused implants; and the like. Specific examples include, but are not limited to: (a) erosional systems in which the active composition is contained in a form within a matrix such as those described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,452,775, 4,667,014, 4,748,034, and 5,239,660 and (b) diffusional systems in which an active component permeates at a controlled rate from a polymer such as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,832,253 and 3,854,480. In addition, pump-based hardware delivery systems can be used, some of which are adapted for implantation.

Generally, the ADC or pharmaceutical composition of the invention is suitably packaged, e.g., in a vial, pouch, ampoule, and/or any container appropriate for a therapeutic method. Components can be provided as concentrates (including lyophilized compositions), which may be further diluted prior to use, or they can be provided at the concentration of use. For use of the ADC of the invention in vivo, single dosages may be provided in sterilized containers having the desired amount and concentration of components.

ADCs Obtained by Means and Methods of Producing ADCs

According to a first aspect, the invention refers to an antibody drug conjugate (ADC) comprising:

-   -   an antibody, or antibody fragment or derivative retaining target         binding properties, comprising at least one light chain constant         region C-terminus, and     -   an anthracycline-based small molecule,         wherein the anthracycline molecule(s) is/are exclusively linked         to the light chain constant region C-terminus/i of the antibody,         fragment or derivative, and     -   wherein the anthracycline-based small molecule is linked, via a         linker comprising a peptidic sequence, to said antibody,         fragment or derivative.

In one embodiment, the antibody drug conjugate of the invention is obtainable by means of site-specific sortase-enzyme mediated conjugation of:

-   -   a) an antibody or fragment or derivative carrying a sortase         enzyme recognition motif at the light chain C-termini, and     -   b) one or more anthracycline-based small molecules each carrying         an oligoglycine tag.

The invention also refers to a method of producing an ADC of the invention, which method comprises the following steps:

-   -   a) providing an antibody or antibody derivative carrying         asortase enzyme recognition motif at the light chain         C-terminus/i,     -   b) providing one or more anthracycline-based small molecules         each carrying an oligoglycine tag, and     -   c) conjugating the antibody or antibody derivative and the one         or more anthracycline-based small molecules by means of         sortase-mediated conjugation using a sortase enzyme that         recognizes said sortase enzyme recognition motif.

Preferably, in all embodiments discussed herein, the sortase enzyme recognition motif is provided exclusively at the light chain C-terminus/i.

It is important to understand that, in all embodiments discussed herein (where Streptococcus pyogenes sortase A is used), the oligo-glycine Gly_(n) can optionally be replaced by an oligo-alanine Ala_(n).

All previously mentioned limitations with regards to the antibody or fragment or derivative, the anthracycline-based small molecules, the linker and the sortase, as well as any other limitations referred to herein, represent preferred embodiments of the embodiments referring to the ADC of the invention is obtained by means of site-specific sortase-enzyme mediated conjugation and to methods of producing an ADC.

Medical Uses and Methods of Treatment

The present invention further refers to an ADC, as described herein, for use in the treatment of a subject that is suffering from, at risk of developing, and/or diagnosed with a neoplastic disease.

The present invention also refers to an ADC, as described herein, for use in the treatment of a subject that is suffering from, at risk of developing, and/or diagnosed with an immune disease or disorder. Alternatively, a method for treating a patient suffering from, at risk of developing, and/or being diagnosed for a neoplastic disease is provided, which method comprises the administration of an antibody drug conjugate according the above description in a therapeutically effective amount or dosage.

The terms “treating” or “treatment” used herein do not necessarily imply 100% or complete treatment. Rather, there are varying degrees of treatment recognized by one of ordinary skill in the art as having a potential benefit or therapeutic effect. In this respect, the inventive method can provide any amount of any level of treatment. Furthermore, the treatment provided by the inventive method can include the treatment of one or more conditions or symptoms of the disease being treated. In particular, the treatment may be administered as an intravenous infusion.

In one embodiment, the ADC is administered as a monotherapy. In an alternative embodiment, the ADC, is administered with or in parallel to further therapeutic agents.

In particular, the ADC may be administered at a dosage of about 0.1-20 mg/kg.

The term “subject” refers to human and non-human animals (especially non-human mammals), and preferably to human animals.

EXAMPLES

While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, such illustration and description are to be considered illustrative or exemplary and not restrictive; the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. Other variations to the disclosed embodiments can be understood and effected by those skilled in the art in practicing the claimed invention, from a study of the drawings, the disclosure, and the appended claims. In the claims, the word “comprising” does not exclude other elements or steps, and the indefinite article “a” or “an” does not exclude a plurality. The mere fact that certain measures are recited in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these measures cannot be used to advantage. Any reference signs in the claims should not be construed as limiting the scope.

All amino acid sequences disclosed herein are shown from N-terminus to C-terminus (with the exception of FIG. 1, wherein the orientation is depicted as C- to N-terminal); all nucleic acid sequences disclosed herein are shown 5′→3′.

Example 1: Antibody Expression and Purification

Expression Vectors:

Fab sequences determined above to bind human CS1 were codon-optimized for human expression; variable domains were synthesized as DNA by GenScript (Piscataway, USA) and included within an expression vector containing suitable restriction sites and the appropriate constant domain (as per Waldmeier et al. 2016 for expression in HEK293T cells, and as per Beerli et al. 2015 for expression in CHO cells).

HEK Expression and Purification:

Expression vectors were transfected into HEK293T cells using Lipofectamine® LTX Reagent with PLUS™ Reagent (Thermo Fisher Scientific, Reinach, Switzerland, 15388100); following a 1-day incubation (37° C., 5% CO₂, growth media: Dulbecco's Modified Eagle Medium (DMEM) High Glucose (4.5 g/l) with L-Glutamine with 10% (v/v) Fetal Calf Serum (FCS), 100 IU/mL of Pen-Strep-Fungizone and 2 mM L-glutamine (all Bioconcept, Allschwil, Switzerland)), cells were expanded under selection conditions (2 μg/mL of puromycin (Sigma-Aldrich, Buchs SG, Switzerland, P8833-25 mg stock at 2 mg/mL)). Cells were split and further expanded (37° C., 5% CO₂); once confluency was reached, tissue culture dishes were coated with 20 μg/ml poly-L-Lysine (Sigma-Aldrich, P1524) for 2 hrs at 37° C. and washed twice with PBS. Then, cells were trypsinized and split 1:3 onto poly-L-lysine-coated plates. After reaching confluency, cells were washed with PBS followed by media replacement to production media (DMEM/F-12, Gibco/Thermo Fisher Scientific, 31330-03) supplemented with 1 μg/mL puromycin (Sigma, P8833), 100 IU/mL of Pen-Strep-Fungizone (Bioconcept), 161 μg/mL of N-acetyl-L-cysteine (Sigma-Aldrich, A8199) and 10 μg/mL of L-glutathione reduced (Sigma-Aldrich, G6529). Supernatant, harvested bi-weekly and filtered (0.22 μm) to remove cells, was stored at 4° C. until purification.

For purification, filtered supernatant was loaded onto a PBS-equilibrated Protein A column and washed with PBS; elution was performed using 0.1 M glycine (pH 2.5) on an ÄKTA pure (GE Healthcare). Fractions were immediately neutralized with 1 M Tris-HCl buffer (pH 8.0) and analyzed for protein purity and integrity by SDS-PAGE. Protein-containing fractions were pooled and subjected to buffer exchange using Amicon filtration units (Millipore, Schaffhausen, Switzerland, UFC901008) to reach a dilution of 1:100, and then sterile filtered using a low retention filter (0.20 μm, Carl Roth, Karlsruhe, Germany, PA49.1).

CHO Expression and Purification:

Expression vectors encoding each of the full-length heavy and light chains were assembled in mammalian expression vector. Antibodies were transiently expressed in CHO cells by methods known in the art and recombinant antibodies were purified by standard protein A purification from CHO cell supernatants, as known in the art. In short, the CHO cell supernatants were harvested by centrifugation and sterile filtered (0.2 μm) before FPLC-based affinity purification using protein A columns Bound antibody was eluted in 0.1 M glycine (pH 2.5 to 3.5) and immediately neutralized with 1 M Tris-HCl buffer (pH 7.5). Buffer exchange to desired final formulation buffer was performed as known in the art (e.g. Dialysis or TFF). The purity and integrity of the recombinant antibodies was analyzed by SDS-PAGE, SEC and MS.

TABLE 2 Antibody amino acid sequences of the Examples Amino Acid Sequence (with constant domain underlined, CDRs SEQ ID NO. identified based on the Kabat system using abYsis software, Name Swindells et al., 2017, in bold) HC: heavy chain, LC: light chain SEQ ID NO. 1 EVQLVESGGGLVQPGGSLRLSCAASGFNIKDTYIHWVRQAPGKGLEWVARIYPT Trastuzumab HC NGYTRYADSVKGRFTISADTSKNTAYLQMNSLRAEDTAVYYCSRWGGDGFYA (K467R MDYWGQGTLVTVSSASTKGPSVFPLAPSSKSTSGGTAALGCLVKDYFPEPVTVS mutation) WNSGALTSGVHTFPAVLQSSGLYSLSSVVTVPSSSLGTQTYICNVNHKPSNTKVD KKVEPKSCDKTHTCPPCPAPELLGGPSVFLEPPKPKDTLMISRTPEVTCVVVDVSH EDPEVKFNWYVDGVEVHNAKTKPREEQYNSTYRVVSVLTVLHQDWLNGKEYKC KVSNKALPAPIEKTISKAKGQPREPQVYTLPPSRDELTKNQVSLTCLVKGFYPSDIA VEWESNGQPENNYKTTPPVLDSDGSFFLYSKLTVDKSRWQQGNVFSCSVMHEAL HNHYTQKSLSLSPGR SEQ ID NO. 2 DIQMTQSPSSLSASVGDRVTITCRASQDVNTAVAWYQQKPGKAPKLLIYSASFLY Trastuzumab LC SGVPSRFSGSRSGTDFTLTISSLQPEDFATYYCQQHYTTPPTFGQGTKVEIKRTVA APSVFIFPPSDEQLKSGTASVVCLLNNFYPREAKVQWKVDNALQSGNSQESVTEQ DSKDSTYSLSSTLTLSKADYEKHKVYACEVTHQGLSSPVTKSFNRGEC SEQ ID NO. 3 EVQLVESGGGLVQPGGSLRLSCAASGFNIKDTYIHWVRQAPGKGLEWVARIYPT Trastuzumab HC NGYTRYADSVKGRFTISADTSKNTAYLQMNSLRAEDTAVYYCSRWGGDGFYA MDYWGQGTLVTVSSASTKGPSVFPLAPSSKSTSGGTAALGCLVKDYFPEPVTVS WNSGALTSGVHTFPAVLQSSGLYSLSSVVTVPSSSLGTQTYICNVNHKPSNTKVD KKVEPKSCDKTHTCPPCPAPELLGGPSVFLFPPKPKDTLMISRTPEVTCVVVDVSH EDPEVKFNWYVDGVEVHNAKTKPREEQYNSTYRVVSVLTVLHQDWLNGKEYKC KVSNKALPAPIEKTISKAKGQPREPQVYTLPPSRDELTKNQVSLTCLVKGFYPSDIA VEWESNGQPENNYKITPPVLDSDGSFFLYSKLTVDKSRWQQGNVFSCSVMHEAL HNHYTQKSLSLSPGK SEQ ID NO. 4 QVQLRESGPGLVKPSETLSLTCTVSGFDISSYYMSWVRQPPGKGLEWIGAIGISGN hu4-2-17 HC AYYASWAKSRVTISRDTSKNQFSLKLSSVTAADTAVYYCARDHPTYGMDLWGP GTLVTVSSASTKGPSVFPLAPSSKSTSGGTAALGCLVKDYFPEPVTVSWNSGALTS GVHTFPAVLQSSGLYSLSSVVTVPSSSLGTQTYICNVNHKPSNTKVDKKVEPKSCD KTHTCPPCPAPELLGGPSVFLFPPKPKDTLMISRTPEVTCVVVDVSHEDPEVKFNW YVDGVEVHNAKTKPREEQYNSTYRVVSVLTVLHQDWLNGKEYKCKVSNKALPA PIEKTISKAKGQPREPQVYTLPPSRDELTKNQVSLTCLVKGFYPSDIAVEWESNGQ PENNYKTTPPVLDSDGSFFLYSKLTVDKSRWQQGNVFSCSVMHEALHNHYTQKS LSLSPGK SEQ ID NO. 5 SYELTQPPSVSVAPGKTARITCEGNNIGSKAVHWYQQKPGQAPVLVIYDDDERPS hu4-2-17 LC GIPERFSGSNSGNTATLTISRVEAGDEADYYCQVWDSSAYVFGGGTKLTVLGQPK AAPSVTLFPPSSEELQANKATLVCLISDFYPGAVTVAWKADSSPVKAGVEFFIPSK QSNNKYAASSYLSLTPEQWKSHKSYSCQVTHEGSTVEKTVAPTECS SEQ ID NO. 6 QVQLRESGPGLVKPSETLSLTCTVSGFDISSYYMSWVRQPPGKGLEWIGAIGISGN hu4-2-17 HC AYYASWAKSRVTISRDTSKNQFSLKLSSVTAADTAVYYCARDHPTYGMDLWGP (K467R GTLVTVSSASTKGPSVFPLAPSSKSTSGGTAALGCLVKDYFPEPVTVSWNSGALTS mutation) GVHTFPAVLQSSGLYSLSSVVTVPSSSLGTQTYICNVNHKPSNTKVDKKVEPKSCD KTHTCPPCPAPELLGGPSVFLFPPKPKDTLMISRTPEVTCVVVDVSHEDPEVKFNW YVDGVEVHNAKTKPREEQYNSTYRVVSVLTVLHQDWLNGKEYKCKVSNKALPA PIEKTISKAKGQPREPQVYTLPPSRDELTKNQVSLTCLVKGFYPSDIAVEWESNGQ PENNYKTTPPVLDSDGSFFLYSKLTVDKSRWQQGNVFSCSVMHEALHNHYTQKS LSLSPGR SEQ ID NO. 7 EQQVVESGGGLVQPGGSLRLSCAVSGFSLNSYGVIWVRQAPGKGLEYVSIIGSSG huERCS-409 HC NTYYASSVKGRFTISRDTRLNTVYLQMNSLRAEDTAVYFCARYYGDSGFDSWG QGTLVTVSSASTKGPSVFPLAPSSKSTSGGTAALGCLVKDYFPEPVTVSWNSGALT SGVHTFPAVLQSSGLYSLSSVVTVPSSSLGTQTYICNVNHKPSNTKVDKKVEPKSC DKTHTCPPCPAPELLGGPSVFLFPPKPKDTLMISRTPEVTCVVVDVSHEDPEVKFN WYVDGVEVHNAKTKPREEQYNSTYRVVSVLTVLHQDWLNGKEYKCKVSNKAL PAPIEKTISKAKGQPREPQVYTLPPSRDELTKNQVSLTCLVKGFYPSDIAVEWESN GQPENNYKTTPPVLDSDGSFFLYSKLTVDKSRWQQGNVFSCSVMHEALHNHYTQ KSLSLSPGK SEQ ID NO. 8 DQQLTQSPSSLSASVGDRVTITCRASQSIGSWLSWYQQKPGKAPKWYGASNLA huERCS-409 LC SGVPSRFSGSRSGTDYTLTISSLQPEDFATYYCLGASPNGWAFGQGTKVEIKRTVA APSVFIFPPSDEQLKSGTASVVCLLNNEYPREAKVQWKVDNALQSGNSQESVTEQ DSKDSTYSLSSTLTLSKADYEKHKVYACEVTHQGLSSPVTKSFNRGEC SEQ ID NO. 9 EQQVVESGGGLVQPGGSLRLSCAVSGFSLNSYGVIWVRQAPGKGLEYVSIIGSSG huERCS-409 HC NTYYASSVKGRFTISRDTRLNTVYLQMNSLRAEDTAVYFCARYYGDSGEDSWG (K467R QGTLVTVSSASTKGPSVFPLAPSSKSTSGGTAALGCLVKDYFPEPVTVSWNSGALT mutation) SGVHTFPAVLQSSGLYSLSSVVTVPSSSLGTQTYICNVNHKPSNTKVDKKVEPKSC DKTHTCPPCPAPELLGGPSVFLFPPKPKDTLMISRTPEVTCVVVDVSHEDPEVKFN WYVDGVEVHNAKTKPREEQYNSTYRVVSVLTVLHQDWLNGKEYKCKVSNKAL PAPIEKTISKAKGQPREPQVYTLPPSRDELTKNQVSLTCLVKGFYPSDIAVEWESN GQPENNYKTTPPVLDSDGSFFLYSKLTVDKSRWQQGNVFSCSVMHEALHNHYTQ KSLSLSPGR SEQ ID NO. 10 QIQLQQSGPEVVKPGASVKISCKASGYTFTDYYITWVKQKPGQGLEWIGWIYPGS Ac10 HC GNTKYNEKFKGKATLTVDTSSSTAFMQLSSLTSEDTAVYFCANYGNYWFAYW GQGTQVTVSAASTKGSVFPLAPSSKSTSGGTAALGCLVKDYFPEPVTVSWNSGA LTSGVHTFPAVLQSSGLYSLSSVVTVPSSSLGTQTYICNVNHKPSNTKVDKKVEPK SCDKTHTCPPCPAPELLGGPSVFLFPPKPKDTLMISRTPEVTCVVVDVSHEDPEVKF NWYVDGVEVHNAKTKPREEQYNSTYRVVSVLTVLHQDWLNGKEYKCKVSNKA LPAPIEKTISKAKGQPREPQVYTLPPSRDELTKNQVSLTCLVKGFYPSDIAVEWESN GQPENNYKTEPPVLDSDGSFFLYSKLTVDKSRWQQGNVFSCSVMHEALHNHYTQ KSLSLSPGK SEQ ID NO. 11 DIVLTQSPASLAVSLGQRATISCKASQSVDFDGDSYMNWYQQKPGQPPKVLIYA Ac10 LC ASNLESGIPARFSGSGSGTDFTLNIHPVEEEDAATYYCQQSNEDPWTFGGGTKLEI KRTVAAPSVFIFPPSDEQLKSGTASVVCLLNNEYPREAKVQWKVDNALQSGNSQE SVTEQDSKDSTYSLSSTLTLSKADYEKHKVYACEVTHQGLSSPVTKSFNRGEC

Table 3 lists the protocols used for expression and purification of antibody batches used in the subsequent examples, along with their final concentration and buffer.

TABLE 3 Protocols used for expression and purification of antibody batches used in the Examples C-Terminal Tags Antibody Antibody SEQ ID (HC: Heavy Chain, CHO/ (ref.) HC/LC LC: Light Chain) HEK Buffer Tras HC: SEQ ID NO. 1 HC: LPETG-Strep CHO PBS with 100 mM L-arginine (mab183) LC: SEQ ID NO. 2 LC: G₄SLPETG-Strep Tras-HC HC: SEQ ID NO. 3 HC: LPETG-Strep CHO PBS (mab090) LC: SEQ ID NO. 2 LC: none Tras-LC HC: SEQ ID NO. 3 HC: none CHO PBS (mab106) LC: SEQ ID NO. 2 LC: G₄SLPETG-Strep Tras HC: SEQ ID NO. 1 HC: LPETG-Strep HEK PBS (mab302) LC: SEQ ID NO. 2 LC: G₄SLPETG-Strep Tras-HC HC: SEQ ID NO. 3 HC: LPETG-Strep HEK PBS (mab364) LC: SEQ ID NO. 2 LC: none Tras-LC HC: SEQ ID NO. 3 HC: none HEK PBS (mab363) LC: SEQ ID NO. 2 LC: G₄SLPETG-Strep hu4-2-17 HC: SEQ ID NO. 6 HC: LPETG-Strep CHO PBS mab321 LC: SEQ ID NO. 5 LC: G₄SLPETG-Strep hu4-2-17 HC: SEQ ID NO. 6 HC: LPETG-Strep CHO PBS mab339 LC: SEQ ID NO. 5 LC: none hu4-2-17 HC: SEQ ID NO. 4 HC: none CHO PBS mab338 LC: SEQ ID NO. 5 LC: G₄SLPETG-Strep huERCS- HC: SEQ ID NO. 9 HC: LPETG-Strep HEK PBS 409 LC: SEQ ID NO. 8 LC: G₄SLPETG-Strep (mab325) huERCS- HC: SEQ ID NO. 9 HC: LPETG-Strep HEK PBS 409-HC LC: SEQ ID NO. 8 LC: none (mab331) huERCS- HC: SEQ ID NO. 7 HC: none HEK PBS 409-LC LC: SEQ ID NO. 8 LC: G₄SLPETG-Strep (mab332) hu4-2-17 HC: SEQ ID NO. 6 HC: LPETG- CHO 20 mM Histidine, pH 6.5, (mab405) LC: SEQ ID NO. 5 TwinStrep 150 mM NaCl LC: G₄SLPETG- TwinStrep hu4-2-17 HC: SEQ ID NO. 6 HC: LPQTGG CHO 20 mM Histidine, pH 6.5, (mab461) LC: SEQ ID NO. 5 LC: none 150 mM NaCl hu4-2-17 HC: SEQ ID NO. 6 HC: none CHO 20 mM Histidine, pH 6.5, (mab462) LC: SEQ ID NO. 5 LC: G₄SLPQTGG 150 mM NaCl Ac10-HC HC: SEQ ID NO. 10 HC: LPETG- CHO PBS (mab341) LC: SEQ ID NO. 11 TwinStrep LC: none Ac10-LC HC: SEQ ID NO. 10 HC: none CHO PBS (mab340) LC: SEQ ID NO. 11 LC: G₄SLPETG- TwinStrep Sortase A.

Recombinant and affinity purified Sortase A enzyme from Staphylococcus aureus was produced in E. coli as disclosed in WO2014140317A1.

Generation of Glycine-Modified Toxins.

Pentaglycine-modified EDA-anthracycline derivative (G5-PNU), triglycine-modified EDA-anthracycline derivative (G3-PNU) and diglycine-modified EDA-anthracycline derivative (G2-PNU) were manufactured by Concortis/Levena (FIGS. 3 (A), (B), and (C) respectively). The identity and the purity of the glycine-modified toxins was confirmed by mass-spectrometry and HPLC. Each of the Gly-modified toxins exhibited >95% purity as gauged by a single peak in the HPLC chromatogram.

Sortase-Mediated Antibody Conjugation.

The above-mentioned toxins were conjugated to antibodies as per Table 4 by incubating tagged mAbs [10 μM] with glycine modified toxin [200 μM] and 3-4 μM Sortase A in conjugation buffer (50 mM HEPES, pH 7.5, 1 mM CaCl₂, 150 mM NaCl, 10% by vol. glycerol) for at least 3.5 h at 25° C. The reaction was stopped by passing it through a Protein A column (rProtein A Gravitrap column, GE Healthcare). Bound conjugate was eluted with 5 column volumes of elution buffer (0.1 M glycine pH 2.5, 50 nM NaCl), with 1 column volume fractions collected into tubes containing up to 25% v/v 1M Tris- or HEPES (pH 8) base to neutralise the acid. Protein containing fractions were pooled and formulated in the formulation buffer of Table 4.

ADC Analytics.

DAR was assessed by Reverse Phase Chromatography performed on a Polymer Labs PLRP 2.1 mm×5 cm, 5 μm column run at 1 mL/min/80° C. with a 25-minute linear gradient between 0.05 and 0.1% TFA/H₂O and 0.04 to 0.1% TFA/CH₃CN. Samples were first reduced by incubation with DTT at pH 8.0 at 37° C. for 15 minutes. The DAR determined by Reverse Phase Chromatography is summarized in Table 4 below.

TABLE 4 Protocols used for generation of ADCs used in the Examples mAb ADC (ref.) (ref.) Toxin Formulation Buffer DAR Tras-PNU mab183 G5- 10 mM Succinate pH 5.0, 175 3.90 (adc424) PNU mM Sucrose 0.02% Tween 20 Tras-HC-PNU mab090 G5- 10 mM Succinate pH 5.0, 175 1.96 (adc421) PNU mM Sucrose 0.02% Tween 20 Tras-LC-PNU mab106 G5- 10 mM Succinate pH 5.0, 175 1.95 (adc422) PNU mM Sucrose 0.02% Tween 20 Tras-PNU mab302 G3- 10 mM Succinate pH 5.0, 175 3.90 (adc667) PNU mM Sucrose 0.02% Tween 20 Tras-HC-PNU mab364 G3- 10 mM Succinate pH 5.0, 175 1.96 (adc668) PNU mM Sucrose 0.02% Tween 20 Tras-LC-PNU mab363 G3- 10 mM Succinate pH 5.0, 175 1.97 (adc669) PNU mM Sucrose 0.02% Tween 20 hu4-2-17- mab321 G3- 15 mM Histidine, pH 6.5, 175 3.91 PNU (adc519) PNU mM Sucrose, 0.02% Tween20 hu4-2-17-HC- mab339 G3- 15 mM Histidine, pH 6.5, 175 1.98 PNU (adc520) PNU mM Sucrose, 0.02% Tween20 hu4-2-17-LC- mab338 G3- 15 mM Histidine, pH 6.5, 175 1.96 PNU (adc521) PNU mM Sucrose, 0.02% Tween20 huERCS-409- mab325 G3- 15 mM Histidine, pH 6.5, 175 3.89 PNU (adc489) PNU mM Sucrose, 0.02% Tween20 huERCS-409- mab331 G3- 15 mM Histidine, pH 6.5, 175 1.98 HC-PNU PNU mM Sucrose, 0.02% Tween20 (adc490) huERCS-409- mab332 G3- 15 mM Histidine, pH 6.5, 175 1.83 LC-PNU PNU mM Sucrose, 0.02% Tween20 (adc522) hu4-2-17- mab405 G2- 15 mM Histidine pH 6.5, 175 3.92 PNU (adc828) PNU mM Sucrose, 0.02% Tween20 hu4-2-17-HC- mab461 G2- 15 mM Histidine pH 6.5, 175 1.98 PNU (adc822) PNU mM Sucrose, 0.02% Tween20 hu4-2-17-LC- mab462 G2- 15 mM Histidine pH 6.5, 175 1.98 PNU (adc826) PNU mM Sucrose, 0.02% Tween20 Tras-LC-PNU mab363 G3- 10 mM Succinate pH 5.0, 175 1.92 (adc588) PNU mM Sucrose 0.02% Tween 20 Tras-HC-PNU mab364 G3- 10 mM Succinate pH 5.0, 175 1.97 (adc589) PNU mM Sucrose 0.02% Tween 20 Ac10-HC- mab341 G3- PBS 1.97 PNU (adc782) PNU Ac10-LC- mab340 G3- PBS 1.93 PNU(adc611) PNU huERCS-409- mab356 G3- 15 mM Histidine pH 6.5, 175 1.89 LC-PNU PNU mM Sucrose, 0.02% Tween20 (adc572) huERCS-409- mab404 G3- 15 mM Histidine pH 6.5, 175 1.97 HC-PNU PNU mM Sucrose, 0.02% Tween20 (adc758) huERCS-409- mab422 G2- 15 mM Histidine pH 6.5, 175 1.89 LC-PNU PNU mM Sucrose, 0.02% Tween20 (adc763) huERCS-409- mab421 G2- 15 mM Histidine pH 6.5, 175 1.94 HC-PNU PNU mM Sucrose, 0.02% Tween20 (adc762) hu4-2-17-LC- mab357 G3- 15 mM Histidine pH 6.5, 175 1.92 PNU (adc573) PNU mM Sucrose, 0.02% Tween20 hu4-2-17-HC- mab406 G3- 15 mM Histidine pH 6.5, 175 1.97 PNU (adc759) PNU mM Sucrose, 0.02% Tween20 hu4-2-17-LC- mab420 G2- 15 mM Histidine pH 6.5, 175 1.92 PNU (adc761) PNU mM Sucrose, 0.02% Tween20 hu4-2-17-HC- mab419 G2- 15 mM Histidine pH 6.5, 175 1.91 PNU (adc760) PNU mM Sucrose, 0.02% Tween20

Example 2

All tolerability assessments were conducted at Aurigon. The ADCs of Table 5 (formulated in PBS) were administered at the indicated doses twice over 14 days (on days 1 and 8, by intravenous administration via bolus) to groups of five CD-1 female mice (5-6 weeks old; from Charles River, Sulzfeld, Germany). Mice were housed in groups of 5 animals per cage and were provided water and pellets ad libitum. Parameters monitored twice daily throughout the study included mortality and cage-side clinical observations.

TABLE 5 Mortality of mice treated with ADCs Mortality at day 14 (relative to 5 initial mice per group) Dose levels [mg/kg] ADC 3 10 Tras-PNU (adc424) 1/5 5/5 Tras-HC-PNU (adc421) 1/5 5/5 Tras-LC-PNU (adc422) 0/5 0/5

The results of Table 5 lay forth a significantly lower mortality rate at equivalent ADC dose of mice treated with ADC comprising the anthracycline payload at the light chain C-termini (Tras-LC-PNU) relative to mice treated with ADC comprising the anthracycline payload at the heavy chain C-termini (Tras-HC-PNU) or with ADC comprising the anthracycline payload at both heavy and light chain C-termini (Tras-PNU).

Example 3

The ADCs of Table 6 (formulated in PBS) were administered at the indicated doses on day 1 (by intravenous administration via bolus) to groups of three CD-1 female mice (4-6 weeks old; from Charles River, Sulzfeld, Germany) and were observed for 14 days (for 2.5 and 5 mg/kg doses) or for 28 days (for 10, 15 and 20 mg/kg doses). Mice were housed in groups of 3 animals per cage and were provided water and pellets ad libitum. Parameters monitored twice daily throughout the study included mortality and cage-side clinical observations.

TABLE 6 Mortality of mice treated with ADCs Mortality at day 14 or 28 (relative to 3 initial mice per group) Dose levels [mg/kg] ADC 2.5 5 10 15 20 Tras-PNU (adc667) 0/3 2/3 (group 1) — — — 3/3 (group 2) Tras-HC-PNU (adc668) 0/3 0/3 3/3 — — Tras-LC-PNU (adc669) — 0/3 0/3 1/3 3/3

The results of Table 6 lay forth a significantly lower dose causing mortality of mice treated with ADC comprising the anthracycline payload at the heavy chain C-termini (Tras-HC-PNU) or with ADC comprising the anthracycline payload at both heavy and light chain C-termini (Tras-PNU), as opposed to mice treated with ADC comprising the anthracycline payload at the light chain C-termini (Tras-LC-PNU).

Example 4

Cytotoxicity of the HER2-targeting ADCs of Table 7 was investigated using the HER2-positive human SKBR3 cell line. HER2-negative human cell line Karpas-299 was used as control. For this, 5000 SKBR3 and 5000 Karpas-299 cells, per well, were each plated on 96-well plates (excluding edge wells, which contained water) in 75 μL DMEM or RPMI, respectively, supplemented with 10% by vol. FCS, 100 IU/mL Pen-Strep-Fungizone and 2 mM L-Glutamine at a density of 6.66×10⁴ cells per well, and were grown at 37° C. in a humidified incubator at 5% CO₂ atmosphere. After a 1-day incubation, each ADC was added to respective wells in an amount of 25 μL of 3.5-fold serial dilutions in growth medium (starting ADC concentration of 80 μg/mL, giving final ADC concentrations ranging from 20 μg/ml to 0.89 ng/ml). After 4 additional days, plates were removed from the incubator and equilibrated to room temperature. After approximately 30 min, 50 μL of CellTiter-Glo® 2.0 Luminescent Solution (Promega, G9243) was added to each well. After shaking the plates at 750 rpm for 5 min followed by 10 min incubation without shaking, luminescence was measured on a Spark 10M plate reader with an integration time of 1 second per well. Curves of luminescence versus ADC concentration (ng/mL) were fitted with Graphpad Prism Software. The IC₅₀ values, determined using the built-in “log(inhibitor) vs. response−Variable slope (four parameters)” IC₅₀ determination function of Prism Software, are reported in Table 7.

TABLE 7 In vitro cell killing by ADCs (ng/mL) Cell type ADC SKBR3 Karpas-299 HER2 expression status Positive Negative Tras-HC-PNU (adc668) 1.7 27′000 Tras-LC-PNU (adc669) 1.8 48′000

FIG. 4 shows the dose-response curve of the in vitro cell killing assays on the SKBR3 and Karpas-299 cell lines with the ADCs of Table 7. As per the Figure and Table, comparable ADCs comprising anthracycline payloads exclusively on the heavy chain or exclusively on the light chain present comparable in vitro efficacy.

Example 5

Cytotoxicity of the HER2-targeting ADCs of Table 8 was investigated using the HER2-positive human SKOV3 cell line. A comparable CD30-targeting ADC was used as isotype control. For this, the protocol of Example 4 was followed but plating 2′000 SKOV3 cells per well were plated on 96-well plates (excluding edge wells, which contained water) in 75 μL DMEM supplemented with 10% by vol. FCS, 100 IU/mL Pen-Strep-Fungizone and 2 mM L-Glutamine at a density of 2.66×10⁴ cells per well.

TABLE 8 In vitro cell killing by ADCs (ng/mL) Cell type ADC SKOV3 HER2 expression status Positive Tras-HC-PNU (adc589) 4.4 Tras-LC-PNU (adc588) 4.6 Ac10-HC-PNU (adc782) 10000 Ac10-LC-PNU (adc611) 10000

FIG. 5 shows the dose-response curve of the in vitro cell killing assays on the SKOV3 cell line with the ADCs of Table 8. As per the Figure and Table, comparable ADCs comprising anthracycline payloads exclusively on the heavy chain or exclusively on the light chain present comparable in vitro efficacy and antigen-mediated.

Example 6

The ADCs of Table 9 (formulated in PBS) were administered at the indicated doses on day 1 (by intravenous administration via bolus) to groups of three or six CD-1 female mice (4-6 weeks old; from Charles River, Sulzfeld, Germany) and were observed for 7-10 days. Mice were housed in groups of 3 animals per cage and were provided water and pellets ad libitum. Parameters monitored twice daily throughout the study included mortality and cage-side clinical observations.

TABLE 9 Mortality of mice treated with ADCs Mortality by day 7-10 (relative to 3 or 6 initial mice per group) Dose levels [mg/kg] Test item 2.5 5 10 15 20 40 huERCS-409-PNU 2/3 (group 1) — — — — — (adc489) 3/3 (group 2) huERCS-409-HC-PNU 1/3 2/3 (group 1) — — — — (adc490) 6/6 (group 2) huERCS-409-LC-PNU — 0/3 0/3 1/3 3/3 — (adc522) hu4-2-17-PNU (adc519) 0/3 3/3 — — — — hu4-2-17-HC-PNU 0/3 1/3 3/3 — — — (adc520) hu4-2-17-LC-PNU — 0/3 0/3 — 0/3 3/3 (adc521)

The results of Table 9 lay forth a significantly lower dose causing mortality of mice treated with ADC comprising the anthracycline payload at the heavy chain C-termini or with ADC comprising the anthracycline payload at both heavy and light chain C-termini, as opposed to mice treated with ADC comprising the anthracycline payload at the light chain C-termini.

Example 7

The ADCs of Table 10 (formulated in PBS) were administered at 1 mg/kg (by single intravenous administration via bolus) to groups of 15 Swiss female outbred CD1 mice (body weights of 21-26 g; from Janvier, Saint Berthevin, France; allocated to groups by simple random allocation). Mice were housed in groups of 3 animals per cage and were provided water and pellets ad libitum. Groups of 3 mice per treatment group were euthanized by terminal bleed following deep anesthesia at 1 hour, 24 hours, 3 days, 7 days and 14 days from ADC administration. Serum from a given group and timepoint was collected for analysis by ELISA.

Dilution series of serum samples (dilution factor 3.5) were captured on ELISA plates coated with 2 μg/ml huROR1 antigen. The bound ADC was detected with an in-house developed mouse anti-PNU mAb (generated by immunizing mice with a human IgG-PNU conjugate and screening with a BSA-PNU conjugate), while the bound total IgG was detected with a 1:2500 dilution of an HRP-conjugated donkey anti-human IgG (Jackson Immunoresearch, 709-035-149). Serum concentrations of ADC and total IgGs were calculated from half maximal values of the sample titrations by comparison with a sample of the same ADC of known concentration. FIG. 6 shows the curves of serum concentration over time; these were analyzed using the AUC function of Prism to determine the area under the curve (AUC), as reported in Table 10.

TABLE 10 Area-under-the-curve (AUC) of ADCs in mice AUC (μg*days/mL) AUC (μg*days/mL) Based on IgG Based on toxin Test item detection detection hu4-2-17-PNU (adc828) 460 ± 48 456 ± 48 hu4-2-17-HC-PNU (adc822) 730 ± 44 584 ± 42 hu4-2-17-LC-PNU (adc826) 1281 ± 119 1241 ± 126

The results of Table 10 lay forth a significantly higher exposure (AUC) of mice treated with ADC comprising the anthracycline payload at the light chain C-termini, than of mice treated with ADC comprising the anthracycline payload at both heavy and light chain C-termini, or the anthracycline payload at the heavy chain C-termini. Further, Table 10 lays forth that the ADC comprising the anthracycline payload at the heavy chain C-termini loses payload to a significant extent.

Example 8

Murine EMT-6 breast cancer cells were cultured in DMEM complete (Dulbecco's Modified Eagle Medium (DMEM) High Glucose (4.5 g/L) with L-Glutamine with 10% (v/v) Fetal Calf Serum (FCS), 100 IU/mL of Pen-Strep-Fungizone and 2 mM L-glutamine (all Bioconcept, Allschwil, Switzerland)) at 37° C. and 5% CO₂. Cells were engineered to overexpress ROR1 by transposition as follows: cells were centrifuged (6 min, 1200 rpm, 4° C.) and resuspended in RPMI-1640 media (5×10⁶ cells/mL). 400 μL of cell suspension was added to 400 μL of RPMI containing 13.3 μg of transposable vector pPB-PGK-Puro-ROR1 (directing co-expression of full-length ROR1 (NP_005003.2) along with the puromycin-resistance gene) and 6.6 μg of transposase-containing vector pCDNA3.1_hy_mPB. DNA/EMT-6 cell mixture was transferred to electroporation cuvettes (0.4 cm-gap, 165-2088, BioRad, Cressier, Switzerland) and electroporated using the Biorad Gene Pulser II with capacitance extender at 300V and 950 μF. Then, cells were incubated for 5-10 min at room temperature. Following the incubation, cells were centrifuged at 1200 rpm for 6 min, washed once and subsequently resuspended in DMEM complete prior to incubation at 37° C. in a humidified incubator at 5% CO₂ atmosphere. One day after electroporation, cell pools stably expressing human ROR1 were selected by adding 3 μg/mL puromycin (Sigma-Aldrich, P8833). Single-cell clones expressing ROR1 were derived from antibiotic-selected EMT-6-ROR1 cells. Cells were then incubated with anti-ROR1 antibody 2A2 for 30 min (4° C., final concentration 2 μg/mL), followed by centrifugation and washing. Cells were then resuspended as previously and incubated with anti-human IgG antibody (Fc gamma-specific) PE (eBioscience, Vienna, Austria, 12-4998-82) with a 1:250 dilution in the dark (30 min, 4° C.), washed once in buffer and kept on ice until single-cell sorting of antigen-expressing cells by FACS using a FACSAriaII instrument (BD Biocsiences, San Jose, USA). Expression of ROR1 on clone 14 used in the experiment below was determined by FACS (FIG. 7).

Example 9

Cytotoxicity of the CS1-targeting and ROR1-targeting ADCs of Table 11 was investigated using the ROR1-overexpressing EMT6 clone 14 cells of Example 8 and the CS1-positive L363 cell line. For this, the protocol of Example 4 was followed but plating 1000 EMT6 clone 14 and 10000 L363 cells per well in 754, DMEM supplemented with 10% by vol. FCS, 100 IU/mL Pen-Strep-Fungizone and 2 mM L-Glutamine at a density of 1.3×10⁴ cells per well and 1.3×10⁵ respectively.

TABLE 11 In vitro cell killing by ADCs (ng/mL) Cell type ETM6 ADC (clone 14) L363 ROR1 expression status Positive Negative CS1 expression status Negative Positive huERCS-409-LC-PNU (adc572), (G3-PNU) 17.5 14′077    huERCS-409-HC-PNU (adc758), (G3-PNU) 14.4 5′316    huERCS-409-LC-PNU (adc763), (G2-PNU) 17.5 14′178    huERCS-409-HC-PNU (adc762), (G2-PNU) 16.7 7′959    Hu4-2-17-LC-PNU (adc573), (G3-PNU) Not 10.3 converged Hu4-2-17-HC-PNU (adc759), (G3-PNU) Not 16.4 converged Hu4-2-17-LC-PNU (adc761), (G2-PNU) Not 18.2 converged Hu4-2-17-HC-PNU (adc760), (G2-PNU) Not 23.1 converged

FIG. 8 shows the dose-response curve of the in vitro cell killing assays on the ROR1-overexpressing EMT6 clone 14 cells and L363 cells with the ADCs of Table 11. As per the Figure and Table, comparable ADCs comprising anthracycline payloads exclusively on the heavy chain or exclusively on the light chain present comparable in vitro efficacy that is antigen-mediated.

Example 10

The following study was conducted at ProQinase. On day 0, 1×10⁶ EMT-6-ROR1 clone 14 tumor cells (from Example 8) in 100 μl PBS were orthotopically implanted into the mammary fat pad of each 5-6-week old female BALB/c mouse. On reaching a mean tumor volume of approx. 30-80 mm³ (by caliper) on Day 3, mice were block-randomized into groups of 6 animals each according to tumour size. The ADCs of Table 12 (formulated in PBS) were administered on Day 3 at the indicated doses (by intravenous administration via bolus). Mice were provided water and pellets ad libitum. The evolution of tumor volume, (average per group and error bars corresponding to the standard error of the mean) evaluated twice-weekly by caliper, is presented in FIG. 9.

TABLE 12 ADC dosing in an orthotopic breast cancer model ADC Dose (mg/kg) Vehicle control (PBS) — Isotype control (Ac10-G3-PNU (adc517)) 0.5 hu4-2-17-PNU (adc519) 0.5 hu4-2-17-HC-PNU (adc520) 1.0 hu4-2-17-LC-PNU (adc521) 1.0

The results of FIG. 9 lay forth that the ADCs of the invention comprising the anthracycline molecules at only the heavy chain C-termini or only at the light chain C-termini are essentially equally effective in vivo; their traces essentially entirely overlay.

As per the Examples presented herein, ADCs of the invention comprising the anthracycline molecules at the light chain C-termini are equal in terms of effectiveness on tumor cells and tumors relative to ADCs comprising anthracycline molecules at the heavy chain C-termini; however, ADCs of the invention comprising the anthracycline molecules at the light chain C-termini present remarkable advantageous properties in vivo including tolerability and stability.

REFERENCES

-   Beerli et al., “Sortase Enzyme-Mediated Generation of     Site-Specifically Conjugated Antibody Drug Conjugates with High In     Vitro and In Vivo Potency”; PloS One 10, e131177, 2015. -   Chen et al., “A general strategy for the evolution of bond-forming     enzymes using yeast display”; PNAS, 108(28), 2011. -   Dorr et al., “Reprogramming the specificity of sortase enzymes”;     PNAS, 2014. -   Dorywalska et al., “Site-Dependent Degradation of a Non-Cleavable     Auristatin-Based Linker-Payload in Rodent Plasma and its Effect on     ADC Efficacy”; PLOS ONE, 2015. -   Drake et al., “Aldehyde Tag Coupled with HIPS Chemistry Enables the     Production of ADCs Conjugated Site-specifically to Different     Antibody Regions with Distinct In vivo Efficacy and PK Outcomes”;     Bioconjugate Chemistry, 25, 2014. -   Jain et al., “Current ADC Linker Chemistry”; Pharma Res, 32, 2015. -   Quintieri et al., “Formation and Antitumor Activity of PNU-159682, A     Major Metabolite of Nemorubicin in Human Liver Microsomes”; Clin     Cancer Res, 11, 2005. -   Spirig et al., “Sortase enzymes in Gram-positive bacteria”;     Molecular Microbiology, 82(5), 2011. -   Strop et al., “Location Matters: Site of Conjugation Modulates     Stability and Pharmacokinetics of Antibody Drug Conjugates”;     Chemistry & Biology, 20, 2013. -   Waldmeier et al., “Transpo-mAb display: Transposition-mediated B     cell display and functional screening of full-length IgG antibody     libraries”; mAbs, 8(4), 2016. -   Swindells, et al., “abYsis: Integrated Antibody Sequence and     Structure-Management, Analysis, and Prediction”; J. Mol. Biol. 429,     356-364, 2017

SEQUENCES

The following sequences form part of the disclosure of the present application. A WIPO ST 25 compatible electronic sequence listing is provided with this application, too. For the avoidance of doubt, if discrepancies exist between the sequences in the following table and the electronic sequence listing, the sequences in this table shall be deemed to be the correct ones.

Amino Acid Sequence (with constant domain underlined, CDRs identified based on the Kabat system using abYsis software, Swindells et al., 2017, in bold) HC: heavy chain, LC: light chain

NO. Type  1 Trastuzumab EVQLVESGGGLVQPGGSLRLSCAASGFNIKDTYIHWVRQAPGKGLEWVARIYPTNG HC (K467R YTRYADSVKGRFTISADTSKNTAYLQMNSLRAEDTAVYYCSRWGGDGFYAMDYWGQ mutation) GTLVTVSSASTKGPSVFPLAPSSKSTSGGTAALGCLVKDYFPEPVTVSWNSGALTS GVHTFPAVLQSSGLYSLSSVVTVPSSSLGTQTYICNVNHKPSNTKVDKKVEPKSCD KTHTCPPCPAPELLGGPSVFLEPPKPKDTLMISRTPEVTCVVVDVSHEDPEVKFNW YVDGVEVHNAKTKPREEQYNSTYRVVSVLTVLHQDWLNGKEYKCKVSNKALPAPIE KTISKAKGQPREPQVYTLPPSRDELTKNQVSLTCLVKGFYPSDIAVEWESNGQPEN NYKTTPPVLDSDGSFFLYSKLTVDKSRWQQGNVFSCSVMHEALHNHYTQKSLSLSP GR  2 Trastuzumab DIQMTQSPSSLSASVGDRVTITCRASQDVNTAVAWYQQKPGKAPKLLIYSASFLYS LC GVPSRFSGSRSGTDFTLTISSLQPEDFATYYCQQHYTTPPTFGQGTKVEIKRTVAA PSVFIEPPSDEQLKSGTASVVCLLNNFYPREAKVQWKVDNALQSGNSQESVTEQDS KDSTYSLSSTLTLSKADYEKHKVYACEVTHQGLSSPVTKSFNRGEC  3 Trastuzumab EVQLVESGGGLVQPGGSLRLSCAASGENTKDTYIHWVRQAPGKGLEWVARIYPTNG HC YTRYADSVKGRFTISADTSKNTAYLQMNSLRAEDTAVYYCSRWGGDGFYAMDYWGQ GTLVTVSSASTKGPSVFPLAPSSKSTSGGTAALGCLVKDYFPEPVTVSWNSGALTS GVHTFPAVLQSSGLYSLSSVVTVPSSSLGTQTYICNVNHKPSNTKVDKKVEPKSCD KTHTCPPCPAPELLGGPSVFLFPPKPKDTLMISRTPEVTCVVVDVSHEDPEVKFNW YVDGVEVHNAKTKPREEQYNSTYRVVSVLTVLHQDWLNGKEYKCKVSNKALPAPIE KTISKAKGQPREPQVYTLPPSRDELTKNQVSLTCLVKGFYPSDIAVEWESNGQPEN NYKTTPPVLDSDGSFFLYSKLTVDKSRWQQGNVESCSVMHEALHNHYTQKSLSLSP GK  4 hu4-2-17 HC QVQLRESGPGLVKPSETLSLTCTVSGFDISSYYMSWVRQPPGKGLEWIGAIGISGN AYYASWAKSRVTISRDTSKNQFSLKLSSVTAADTAVYYCARDHPTYGMDLWGPGTL VTVSSASTKGPSVFPLAPSSKSTSGGTAALGCLVKDYFPEPVTVSWNSGALTSGVH TFPAVLQSSGLYSLSSVVTVPSSSLGTQTYICNVNHKPSNTKVDKKVEPKSCDKTH TCPPCPAPELLGGPSVFLETPKPKDTLMISRTPEVTCVVVDVSHEDPEVKFNWYVD GVEVHNAKTKPREEQYNSTYRVVSVLTVLHQDWLNGKEYKCKVSNKALPAPIEKTI SKAKGQPREPQVYTLPPSRDELTKNQVSLTCLVKGFYPSDIAVEWESNGQPENNYK TTPPVLDSDGSFFLYSKLTVDKSRWQQGNVFSCSVMHEALHNHYTQKSLSLSPGK  5 hu4-2-17 LC SYELTQPPSVSVAPGKTARITCEGNNIGSKAVHWYQQKPGQAPVLVIYDDDERPSG IPERFSGSNSGNTATLTISRVEAGDEADYYCQVWDSSAYVFGGGTKLTVLGQPKAA PSVTLFPPSSEELQANKATLVCLISDFYPGAVTVAWKADSSPVKAGVETTTPSKQS NNKYAASSYLSLTPEQWKSHKSYSCQVTHEGSTVEKTVAPTECS  6 hu4-2-17 HC QVQLRESGPGLVKPSETLSLTCTVSGFDISSYYMSWVRQPPGKGLEWIGAIGISGN (K467R AYYASWAKSRVTISRDTSKNQFSLKLSSVTAADTAVYYCARDHPTYGMDLWGPGTL mutation) VTVSSASTKGPSVFPLAPSSKSTSGGTAALGCLVKDYFPEPVTVSWNSGALTSGVH TFPAVLQSSGLYSLSSVVTVPSSSLGTQTYICNVNHKPSNTKVDKKVEPKSCDKTH TCPPCPAPELLGGPSVFLFPPKPKDTLMISRTPEVTCVVVDVSHEDPEVKFNWYVD GVEVHNAKTKPREEQYNSTYRVVSVLTVLHQDWLNGKEYKCKVSNKALPAPIEKTI SKAKGQPREPQVYTLPPSRDELTKNQVSLTCLVKGFYPSDIAVEWESNGQPENNYK TTPPVLDSDGSFFLYSKLTVDKSRWQQGNVFSCSVMHEALHNHYTQKSLSLSPGR  7 huERCS-409 EQQVVESGGGLVQPGGSLRLSCAVSGFSLNSYGVIWVRQAPGKGLEYVSIIGSSGN HC TYYASSVKGRFTISRDTRLNTVYLQMNSLRAEDTAVYFCARYYGDSGFDSWGQGTL VTVSSASTKGPSVFPLAPSSKSTSGGTAALGCLVKDYFPEPVTVSWNSGALTSGVH TFPAVLQSSGLYSLSSVVTVPSSSLGTQTYICNVNHKPSNTKVDKKVEPKSCDKTH TCPPCPAPELLGGPSVFLFPPKPKDTLMISRTPEVTCVVVDVSHEDPEVKFNWYVD GVEVHNAKTKPREEQYNSTYRVVSVLTVLHQDWLNGKEYKCKVSNKALPAPIEKTI SKAKGQPREPQVYTLPPSRDELTKNQVSLTCLVKGFYPSDIAVEWESNGQPENNYK TTPPVLDSDGSFFLYSKLTVDKSRWQQGNVFSCSVMHEALHNHYTQKSLSLSPGK  8 huERCS-409 DQQLTQSPSSLSASVGDRVTITCRASQSIGSWLSWYQQKPGKAPKLLIYGASNLAS LC GVPSRFSGSRSGTDYTLTISSLQPEDFATYYCLGASPNGWAFGQGTKVEIKRTVAA PSVFIFPPSDEQLKSGTASVVCLLNNFYPREAKVQWKVDNALQSGNSQESVTEQDS KDSTYSLSSTLTLSKADYEKHKVYACEVTHQGLSSPVTKSFNRGEC  9 huERCS-409 EQQVVESGGGLVQPGGSLRLSCAVSGFSLNSYGVIWVRQAPGKGLEYVSIIGSSGN HC (K467R TYYASSVKGRFTISRDTRLNTVYLQMNSLRAEDTAVYFCARYYGDSGFDSWGQGTL mutation) VTVSSASTKGPSVFPLAPSSKSTSGGTAALGCLVKDYFPEPVTVSWNSGALTSGVH TFPAVLQSSGLYSLSSVVTVPSSSLGTQTYICNVNHKPSNTKVDKKVEPKSCDKTH TCPPCPAPELLGGPSVFLFPPKPKDTLMISRTPEVTCVVVDVSHEDPEVKFNWYVD GVEVHNAKTKPREEQYNSTYRVVSVLTVLHQDWLNGKEYKCKVSNKALPAPIEKTI SKAKGQPREPQVYTLPPSRDELTKNQVSLTCLVKGFYPSDIAVEWESNGQPENNYK TTPPVLDSDGSFFLYSKLTVDKSRWQQGNVFSCSVMHEALHNHYTQKSLSLSPGR 10 Ac10 HC QIQLQQSGPEVVKPGASVKISCKASGYTFTDYYITWVKQKPGQGLEWIGWIYPGSG NTKYNEKFKGKATLTVDTSSSTAFMQLSSLTSEDTAVYFCANYGNYWFAYWGQGTQ VTVSAASTKGPSVFPLAPSSKSTSGGTAALGCLVKDYFPEPVTVSWNSGALTSGVH TFPAVLQSSGLYSLSSVVTVPSSSLGTQTYICNVNHKPSNTKVDKKVEPKSCDKTH TCPPCPAPELLGGPSVFLFPPKPKDTLMISRTPEVTCVVVDVSHEDPEVKFNWYVD GVEVHNAKTKPREEQYNSTYRVVSVLTVLHQDWLNGKEYKCKVSNKALPAPIEKTI SKAKGQPREPQVYTLPPSRDELTKNQVSLTCLVKGFYPSDIAVEWESNGQPENNYK TTPPVLDSDGSFFLYSKLTVDKSRWQQGNVFSCSVMHEALHNHYTQKSLSLSPGK 11 Ac10 LC DIVLTQSPASLAVSLGQRATISCKASQSVDFDGDSYMNWYQQKPGQPPKVLIYAAS NLESGIPARFSGSGSGTDFTLNIHPVEEEDAATYYCQQSNEDPWTFGGGTKLEIKR TVAAPSVFIFPPSDEQLKSGTASVVCLLNNFYPREAKVQWKVDNALQSGNSQESVT EQDSKDSTYSLSSTLTLSKADYEKHKVYACEVTHQGLSSPVTKSFNRGEC 12 Sortase LPXTG recognition tag 13 Sortase LPXAG recognition tag 14 Sortase LPXSG recognition tag 15 Sortase LAXTG recognition tag 16 Sortase LPXTA recognition tag 17 Sortase NPQTG recognition tag 18 Sortase NPQTN recognition tag 19 Sortase LPLTG recognition tag 20 Sortase LAFTG recognition tag 21 Sortase LPNTA recognition tag 

What is claimed is:
 1. An antibody drug conjugate (ADC) comprising: an antibody, antibody fragment or derivative retaining target binding properties, comprising at least one light chain constant region C-terminus, and at least one anthracycline-based small molecule, wherein the at least one anthracycline-based small molecule is exclusively linked to at least one light chain constant region C-terminus of the antibody, antibody fragment or derivative, wherein the antibody or antibody fragment or derivative comprises the CDRs (based on Kabat numbering) of hu4-2-17: HC CDR1 (SEQ ID NO: 22) SYYMS, HC CDR2 (SEQ ID NO: 23) AIGISGNAYYASWAKS, HC CDR3 (SEQ ID NO: 24) DHPTYGMDL, LC CDR1 (SEQ ID NO: 25) EGNNIGSKAVH, LC CDR2 (SEQ ID NO: 26) DDDERPS, and LC CDR3 (SEQ ID NO: 27) QVWDSSAYV;

wherein the antibody or antibody fragment or derivative binds to human ROR1; and wherein the at least one anthracycline-based small molecule is linked, via a linker comprising a peptidic sequence, to said antibody, antibody fragment or derivative.
 2. The antibody drug conjugate of claim 1, wherein the antibody or fragment or derivative comprises a heavy chain variable domain comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 28; and a light chain variable domain comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:
 29. 3. The antibody drug conjugate of claim 1, wherein the antibody or fragment or derivative comprises a heavy chain comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 4; and a light chain comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:
 5. 4. The antibody drug conjugate of claim 1, wherein the anthracycline-based small molecule is represented by


5. The antibody drug conjugate of claim 1, wherein the peptidic sequence of the linker comprises a peptidic motif resulting from specific cleavage of a sortase enzyme recognition motif.
 6. The antibody drug conjugate of claim 5, wherein the peptidic motif resulting from specific cleavage of the sortase enzyme recognition motif is LPQT (SEQ ID NO: 30).
 7. The antibody drug conjugate of claim 5, wherein the peptidic sequence of the linker comprises an oligoglycine sequence (“tag”), denoted G_(n) or Gly_(n), where n is from 1 to
 21. 8. The antibody drug conjugate of claim 7, wherein n is
 2. 9. The antibody drug conjugate of claim 5, wherein the peptidic sequence of the linker comprises a spacer sequence.
 10. The antibody drug conjugate of claim 9, wherein the spacer sequence is GGGGS (SEQ ID NO: 31).
 11. The antibody drug conjugate of claim 5, wherein the peptidic sequence of the linker comprising a peptidic motif resulting from specific cleavage of a sortase enzyme recognition motif is GGGGSLPQTGG (SEQ ID NO: 32).
 12. The antibody drug conjugate of claim 1, wherein the linker further comprises at least one further cleavable or non-cleavable linker.
 13. The antibody drug conjugate of claim 12, wherein the at least one further cleavable or non-cleavable linker is selected from the group consisting of: a hydrazine linker, a thiourea linker, a self-immolative linker, a succinimidyl trans-4-(maleimidylmethyl)cyclohexane-1-carboxylate (SMCC) linker, a disulfide linker, a selenoether linker, an amide linker, a thioether linker, and a maleimide linker.
 14. The antibody drug conjugate of claim 1, which has a stoichiometric ratio between (i) antibody, fragment or derivative and (ii) anthracycline-based small molecule of any value between 1 and
 2. 15. The antibody drug conjugate of claim 1, which has a stoichiometric ratio between (i) antibody, fragment or derivative and (ii) anthracycline-based small molecule of any value between 1.5 and
 2. 16. A pharmaceutical composition comprising a therapeutically effective amount of the antibody drug conjugate of claim 1, and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.
 17. A method for treating a neoplastic disease associated with expression of human ROR1 in a human subject in need thereof, comprising administering to the subject a therapeutically effective amount or dosage of the antibody drug conjugate according to claim
 1. 18. The method of claim 17, wherein the neoplastic disease is associated with elevated expression of human ROR1.
 19. An antibody drug conjugate (ADC) comprising: an antibody, antibody fragment or derivative retaining target binding properties, comprising at least one light chain constant region C-terminus, and at least one anthracycline-based small molecule, wherein the at least one anthracycline-based small molecule is exclusively linked, via a linker comprising a peptidic sequence, to at least one light chain constant region C-terminus of the antibody, antibody fragment or derivative, wherein the antibody or antibody fragment or derivative comprises a heavy chain comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 4; and a light chain comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 5, wherein the antibody or antibody fragment or derivative binds to human ROR1; wherein the anthracycline-based small molecule is represented by

and wherein the peptidic sequence of the linker is GGGGSLPQTGG (SEQ ID NO: 32).
 20. The antibody drug conjugate of claim 19, which has a stoichiometric ratio between (i) antibody, fragment or derivative and (ii) anthracycline-based small molecule of any value between 1.9 and
 2. 21. A pharmaceutical composition comprising a therapeutically effective amount of the antibody drug conjugate of claim 19, and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.
 22. A method for treating a neoplastic disease associated with expression of human ROR1 in a human subject in need thereof, comprising administering to the subject a therapeutically effective amount or dosage of the antibody drug conjugate according to claim
 19. 23. The method of claim 22, wherein the neoplastic disease is associated with elevated expression of human ROR1.
 24. The method of claim 17, where the neoplastic disease is breast cancer.
 25. The method of claim 24, where the neoplastic disease is HER2-positive breast cancer.
 26. The method of claim 19, where the neoplastic disease is breast cancer.
 27. The method of claim 26, where the neoplastic disease is HER2-positive breast cancer.
 28. The method of claim 17, where the neoplastic disease is ovarian cancer.
 29. The method of claim 28, where the neoplastic disease is HER2-positive ovarian cancer.
 30. The method of claim 19, where the neoplastic disease is ovarian cancer.
 31. The method of claim 30, where the neoplastic disease is HER2-positive ovarian cancer. 